Altered Measure
by kitchmill
Summary: Edward Cullen is living life in the fast lane. As the lead singer of Breaking Dawn, he gets any woman he wants and makes no apologies for it. But when he sets his sights on timid Bella Swan, his life becomes irrevocably altered. How will he handle being thrown into fatherhood and co-parenting with the introverted beauty?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable entities are the property of their owner. No copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N: **I'm excited to be posting another story! I hope you enjoy what I've come up with this time. This story is completely prewritten and will post twice a week. As always, you'll be able to find teasers on Fictionators and Fic Central.

A million thanks to my awesome beta, **beachcomberlc**, for keeping me consistent and making me snort with her comments on a regular basis. I'll admit to being a tweaker, so all mistakes are mine.

Thanks also to **Twiddler83**, because without her, this story would just be called "New Story."

And I owe an extreme debt of gratitude to **staceleo** for creating another amazing banner for me.

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**Chapter 1**

God, the last thing I ever want to do after sweating my ass off on stage for two hours is to sit for another hour and pretend to be happy for the groupies while signing my name to a stupid picture over and over again.

Emmett, Rosalie and I, otherwise known as the rock sensation Breaking Dawn, just finished our last concert in Seattle after a six-month US tour. I've been looking forward to going home—to my actual home—after tonight's show for quite some time. But, thanks to some radio station promo that our management agreed to without warning us, we now have to sign autographs for about a hundred crazy fans.

Okay, maybe they're not all crazy, but there certainly are enough wackos to give the rest of them a bad name. For instance, there was the one with the huge hair and hot pink lipstick—Jennifer or Julia or something—who licked her lips and sucked her teeth like she was trying to be seductive, when really, she just came across as if she couldn't keep her saliva in her mouth. Then there was the guy who propositioned me about five minutes ago. Sorry, buddy … I don't swing that way. And just after him was a chick who had the most lopsided plastic tits I had ever seen. She shoved them in my face and actually asked if I wanted to check them out. Um … no.

It's not like I can't have any woman I want. I can ... and I have. I'm definitely not desperate. I've had my pick of chicks and fucked one after each of the last three shows. But, I'm bored with these typical groupies. Been there, done that. I need something different.

I look up and am relieved to see that the line is finally dwindling down. If I'm not getting laid tonight, I'd at least like to go take a shower and have a beer or six.

Robotically, as I've been doing for a while now, I ask the next person, "Hi, what's your name?" I don't even glance up from where my Sharpie is poised to write on the picture in my hand.

A very timid voice answers. "Um, my name's Bella, but could you make it out to my friend Alice?"

I look up and meet the most beautiful honey brown eyes I have ever seen. Long, brown waves of hair frame a heart-shaped face with blushing cheeks and pouty, rosy lips. This just might fit the definition of "different" that I need tonight. I lose myself in thoughts of fucking this chick momentarily, but Emmett's boisterous laugh from elsewhere in the room brings me back to the present situation.

"Oh, you're not a Breaking Dawn fan then?" I ask, unable to resist teasing this striking creature a bit. I quickly sign a photo for her friend and a second one for her, ignoring the "one per fan" rule.

"No," she answers, before quickly shaking her head. "I mean, yes, I am a fan, but my best friend won the tickets and came down with the flu, so I promised her I would get your autograph."

While she is speaking nervously, I shoot a glance over at my PA, Marcus, and then back to Bella. He catches my movement and nods, knowing exactly what I want him to do. It's not like I haven't done this a thousand times before.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Bella," I say, catching her eyes again just before she looks down and blushes. My dick immediately wants to know which other parts of her body blush like that. "I'm Edward, by the way. Thank you for coming out tonight." I give her my best smile—the one that's been dubbed the "panty dropper"—when she looks up again.

She smiles back as I hand her the two autographed photos and gives me a timid thanks before moving on. I hope this isn't the last time I'll see her tonight.

The monotony continues as I greet the next fan, but I keep one eye on Bella until I see her hit the end of the line and Marcus approach her. My smile is wide as I watch him speak with her quietly and then lead her into the restricted area. So far, she's taking the bait.

Ten minutes later, my hand is cramped to near falling off after the hours of playing guitar and signing autographs, but we're finally finished. Marcus gives me a thumbs up when he sees me rise from my chair, so I don't waste any time getting to my dressing room. I wouldn't want the timid doe to run off because I took too long, now, would I?

I open the door and find Bella sitting on the couch, her back stiff and her hands in her lap. Her autographed photos are on the coffee table in front of her. She's biting her lower lip as her eyes meet mine, and I can't help but think about how much I'd like to suck on that luscious lip. Kissing's not usually my thing, but for some reason I feel the need to have that connection with her.

"Um, your assistant asked me to wait here," she says shyly, jumping off of the couch and turning to face me.

"Yes," I say politely, moving toward her. "Thanks for sticking around." Here's where I'm going to have to work a bit tonight. She's definitely not a typical groupie who came backstage knowing what she wants—and what I want. "That was really nice of you to ask for autographs for your friend and not for yourself," I placate. I take another step closer as I speak, a predator on the prowl.

"Thanks," she says as more of a question than a statement. She takes a small step backwards, but I'm closing the distance between us.

Her back hits the wall just as I'm within reach of her. "I hope your friend feels better," I mumble. "But I have to admit that I'm glad I met you." Reaching up, I stroke a lock of her silky hair off her face and push it behind her ear, letting my fingers linger on the soft skin of her neck.

I watch her eyes go wide, but her cheeks redden so I must be having some kind of an effect on her. I know I have to keep working my charm, because for some reason, I want this girl more than I've wanted any of the others before her. There is something drawing me to her like a magnet, and I don't want to let her leave this room before I've had my fill of her.

"Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are, Bella?" I ask, continuing with the charm that usually gets me what I want. I lower my head slightly, getting closer to her lips.

She shakes her head and bites that bottom lip again. I can't resist. Moving my fingers under her chin, I use my thumb to release her lip from her teeth. Inches away from her now, I ask my next question. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Her head shakes slightly and she whispers, "No."

I breathe in deeply as her sweet breath washes over my face. "Can I kiss you?"

She looks completely scared, yet nods once confidently. That's all the permission I need.

My lips descend on hers, gently at first, then with increasing urgency as she begins to respond. Her lips are softer than anything I've felt before—not that I have much experience kissing my conquests—and they match my movements perfectly. Our mouths open and tongues meet in the middle, dancing around each other softly.

When she moans into my mouth, my dick hardens painfully. I press my body up against hers and let my hands begin to wander—over her shoulders, down her ribs, skimming the sides of her breasts, gripping her waist.

Breaking from her mouth, I move across her jaw and to her neck, dropping open mouth kisses along the way. "Please tell me you feel something … that you want this, too," I whisper to her.

I feel her nod against the side of my face, so I let my hands roam further. One goes up to cup her breast, eliciting a delicious whimper from her as she arches off the wall and into my hand. The other moves down her thigh, easily finding the edge of her khaki skirt and her bare skin.

My fingers circle the soft skin on the back of her thigh briefly before moving under the hem. I continue moving up until I grip her leg and lift it around my waist, and then grind my cock into her center. We both moan and I feel her push back, looking for friction.

My timid doe appears to be waking up. I feel her hands snake around my neck and grip the back of my hair. She pulls it in time with each thrust of our hips until she drops her head back against the wall.

"Does that feel good, beautiful? Do you want more?"

"Yes," she breathes.

I take that invitation and run with it, first unbuttoning her navy blouse and pulling her breasts out of the cups of her bra. As I begin to lick and suck on one and fondle the other, my free hand reaches between us. I push her soaked panties aside and run my skilled fingers through her folds. Her moans increase each time I hit her clit.

When I move down to her center, I quickly push two fingers inside. She gasps and I curse. She is so fucking tight, my dick is weeping to get in there.

I thrust them in and out a few times while my thumb rubs her clit, and it only takes moments until she falls apart in my arms. It's a beautiful sight—her mouth open in ecstasy, her breath panting and her entire chest flushed.

"Oh God," I moan as I watch her. "Please tell me you want me as much as I want you."

She nods lazily with her eyes still closed, so I reach down and lift her skirt to her waist then pull her underwear down her lean legs. She holds my shoulders as she steps out of them. As soon as I stand up, her shaky hands reach for the button of my jeans and pop it open. Once she lowers the zipper, I hastily push my pants down my hips and free my aching cock.

I grab the condom I always keep stashed in my back pocket and tear it open, rolling it on my length as fast as I can.

Lifting her up by her thighs, I wrap her legs around me and push her upper body into the wall. "Hold on, beautiful."

I run myself through her wetness a bit, coating my dick in her abundant juices before lining up with her center. I push the tip in and groan at the tightness and heat, while she gasps and drops her head back to the wall again.

I thrust again, and I'm met with resistance when I'm only about halfway in.

"Fuck!" I yell, dropping my forehead to her shoulder. I breathe deeply a few times, trying to control the urge to force myself all the way in. "Why didn't you tell me?" I ask more gently, looking into her eyes and seeing tears gathering.

"Please," she begs quietly. "Please, just keep going."

I can't believe this girl is begging me to take her virginity up against a wall. I search her eyes for any sign of hesitation, but don't find any. The tears are gone and have been replaced with a look of fierce determination.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes … please," she says more forcefully.

I lock my jaw and keep my gaze on her, watching her reaction as I thrust swiftly and break through her barrier. She lets out a scream and grips my shoulders tighter, but appears to relax after a few seconds.

"Okay?" I ask, needing to move but not wanting to hurt her any more than I already have.

"Yes." She wiggles her hips a bit, letting me know she's ready for more.

I start with a slow pace while I suck on the delicious skin on her neck. She begins to meet my movements, and together, we speed up.

I can't control the grunts and groans that are escaping me. She's so fucking tight that I'm finding it difficult to hold back. Supporting her weight with one arm under her ass, I use my other hand to rub her clit in time with our thrusts. I'm just full of firsts tonight—kissing, fucking a virgin and worrying about getting her off.

It doesn't take long before she's moaning continuously, forcing her pussy down on my dick harder. It's like a vacuum around me, drawing me back in each time I try to pull out. I meet her increased pace and rub her faster.

Her walls start to flutter and I know I'm going to lose it any second. "Let go, beautiful. Come for me."

And she does. Spectacularly.

She cries out as she clamps down on me and throws her head back again, thrashing it from side to side. As soon as I feel that first muscle spasm, I let go and come with a force I've never felt before. I want to watch her, but my eyes close involuntarily and everything goes black for a moment.

After a few more irregular thrusts, I still myself deep inside of her and hold her body to me tightly. We're both breathing heavily, yet her fingers are gently scraping my scalp in such a soothing manner, I'm afraid I'm about to fall asleep.

I lower her to the floor and reluctantly pull out of her, quickly pulling up my jeans and boxers so she doesn't have to see the evidence of her virginity on the condom.

"Wait right here. I'll be right back," I tell her softly, kissing her luscious lips gently before I turn and head into the bathroom.

Once in there with the door closed, I drop my pants again and get ready to pull off the condom.

"Shit," I hiss out, noticing the damage.

I clean up as quickly as possible, washing my hands to be sure there is no sign of blood visible.

When I open the door, I'm met with an empty room. I look around and even behind me, expecting Bella to appear out of somewhere, but she's gone. Only her autographed photos remain, still on the coffee table where she placed them earlier.

I may be a player, but I wasn't ready for her to leave just yet.

I didn't even get to tell her that the condom broke.

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**A/N: I love to hear from you so please leave a review to let me know what you think. As always, I'm on Facebook and Twitter. I'll post teasers and updates there.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I typically will try to keep my notes at the bottom, but I have a few things to say up here just this once.**

**I am completely blown away by the response to the first chapter. Thank you! It's so great to see so many familiar readers back for more, and welcome to all of the new readers. I love responding to reviews, so please make sure you're signed in.**

**I will be posting three chapters this week instead of two so we can find out what happens with Bella. After that, the rest of the story will be Edward's. I know there are lots of questions after the first chapter, and they will all be answered in time.**

**I also need to extend my thanks to everyone who voted for my stories in the July Completed Fics poll on TwiFanfictionRecs. I was humbled to even have one story nominated, let alone two, but to have both place in the top ten is simply amazing.**

**Thanks again to my beta beachcomberlc, but all mistakes are mine.**

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**Chapter 2**

A ringing phone pulls me out of my dreams way too soon. I don't know what time it is, but I know it's too early for me to be awake today.

Last night, I was up much later than usual. I'm not a party girl by any means, but I made an exception for Alice last night. First, there was the Breaking Dawn concert, then I had to stand in line for autographs for her, and finally, there were the … other activities.

I groan to myself, thinking about what I did last night. I, Bella Swan, lost my virginity to Edward Cullen, lead singer and guitarist for Breaking Dawnand well known Playboy.

The phone stops ringing and I breathe a sigh of relief. I really don't want to talk to anyone right now.

It's not that I was saving my virginity for marriage or anything. I just had never had the chance before. I'll admit it, I've lived a sheltered life.

In high school, I was the girl that no one wanted to go near because my father was the chief of police in our tiny town. Boys in my class feared for their lives if they took one step out of line with me.

It would have been easy to break out of that mold once I moved to Seattle for college, but the death of my father during the summer after I graduated from high school sent me back into myself. He was shot in the line of duty while responding to a robbery call and died before the ambulance made it to the hospital.

I made it my mission during college to study hard and get good grades, needing to make my father proud of me. With the extra courses I took, I ended up graduating a semester early but didn't have much of a social life.

Alice has been my best friend since we were thrown together in the dorms as freshmen. We are polar opposites in every way possible, but somehow our odd friendship works. She is the bubbly, outgoing beauty, while I am the quiet, plain girl.

The phone starts ringing again. I glance at the clock to see that it's after nine o'clock. I never sleep this late, but I definitely have an excuse after last night.

I grab my cell phone off the night table and swipe it to answer when I realize it's Alice calling.

"Why are you calling me from the other room?" I ask groggily in lieu of a greeting.

"Because I can't get out of bed," she croaks out.

"I'm sorry, Ali. What do you need?" I almost forgot how sick she's been for the last few days.

"Could you get me some tea and crackers?"

"Sure. I'll bring it up in a few minutes."

I drag myself from bed and head into the bathroom to brush my teeth, trying to ignore the ache I'm feeling between my legs. Memories flood back to me in a rush, causing me to sit down on the closed toilet seat. Every kiss, every touch, every word he said is replaying on a loop in my mind.

The entire encounter was completely out of character for me, but oh so wonderful. I can't even bring myself to have any regret over the way things happened. I'd never even kissed anyone before last night, but from the first moment Edward's lips touched mine, I knew I wanted more. He didn't even have to work that hard to charm me out of my panties.

It's not like I didn't know why his assistant asked me to wait for him. I knew what Edward wanted. But the idea that he wanted _me_ was nearly unbelievable. And when it came down to it, I decided that it was time to take a risk for once in my life.

Gathering myself together, I make my way to the kitchen and prepare some tea for Alice. I put some saltines on a plate, and add that and the tea to a breakfast tray, carrying it carefully up the stairs and into Alice's room.

"Hey," I say gently as I push the door open. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Well, I haven't thrown up since yesterday afternoon, so that's good," she says. I bring the tray to her and place it over her legs while she continues. "But I still feel like I've been hit by a truck. Thanks for this." She points to the tray and I nod.

"Do you need more Tylenol?"

"I just took some."

Alice sips the tea and I sit down on the bed next to her, waiting to see if she needs anything else.

"So, how was last night?" she asks when she sets the mug down.

"It was good," I tell her nonchalantly.

"Did you get to meet them? Did you get their autographs?" she blurts excitedly.

"Um, yeah …" I start, not knowing what to tell her. "I did meet them and get autographs, but I accidentally left them there."

"What?" she screeches through her scratchy throat.

I bite my lip, contemplating what to tell her. She's my best friend and I've never kept a secret from her before, but then again, I've never done anything this shocking either. In the end, I decide I may as well tell her. I know she won't judge me.

She's still looking at me with wide eyes when I start talking. "Um, after I got the autographs, Edward Cullen's assistant told me he wanted to talk to me and asked me to wait in Edward's dressing room." I pause and take a deep breath. It'll be easier to just rip it off like a Band-Aid. "I ended up havingsexwithhimandthen ranoutsofastthatIforgottheautographs."

When I peek up at Alice, I see that her jaw has dropped. "Bella," she says quietly. "Did I just hear you say that you had sex with Edward Cullen?"

I bite my lip and nod.

"Oh my God!" she croaks, setting her mug down on the nightstand and then throwing her arms around me. "I can't believe you lost your virginity to Edward Cullen!"

"Yeah, neither can I," I say, struggling to breathe through her death grip on my neck.

"Oh, sorry." She sits back and claps her hands. "You have to tell me everything!"

I proceed to break down the entire night for her, starting from going to the concert alone and ending with the embarrassment of bleeding all over Edward Cullen and running out of his dressing room with my panties in my hand and my shirt still unbuttoned.

Alice comforts me when appropriate, but also tells me that she's proud of me for doing something daring for once in my life. She has always tried to get me to break out of my shell. I have to admit that it was freeing to just forget about everything and give myself over to the feelings that Edward invoked in me.

Over the next few weeks, life returns to normal with my work as a website blog editor to keep me busy and Alice finally on the mend. Thoughts of my night with Edward are never far from my mind, and I wonder to myself if I'll ever find someone who makes me feel so alive again. I chalk it up to having been my first experience with a man, but keep those feelings alive in my private fantasies.

In the beginning of July, I start to feel run down and wonder if I'm coming down with the same summer flu that Alice had. When I throw up one morning, I'm sure that the fever and achiness will start any moment.

Alice finds me on the floor in the bathroom of our house and offers to get me some Tylenol, tea and crackers, which she tells me were her saving grace while she was sick.

"I'll take the tea and crackers," I tell her. "But I'm not really achy yet so I don't think I need the Tylenol."

I crawl back into bed, figuring my body needs the rest to fight off whatever is coming, and sleep fitfully for most of the day. I do manage to get some work done—one of the benefits of working from home—late in the evening, but the vomiting continues at random times.

The next morning, Alice comes to check on me and is surprised to find that I still don't have a fever or any flu-like aches in my body. "My fever started almost at the same time as I started throwing up," she tells me. "But, I guess maybe it's different for everyone. Does anything else hurt?"

"Not really," I admit. "I'm just really tired and I have bad cramps. It feels like my period is coming, but it hasn't shown up yet."

"Maybe the cramps are from throwing up," she offers.

I shrug and get back in bed, cradling a box of Wheat Thins like a lifeline since they seem to settle my stomach, at least for a little while.

Another day later I'm still in the same state. Cramps come and go, vomiting continues and I'm more exhausted than I've ever been, but nothing else seems to be wrong. Alice comes to check on me when she gets home from work.

"Any change?" she asks, concern clear on her face.

"Still the same," I say from my spot in bed with my laptop resting on my legs.

She looks at me for a moment and appears to contemplate something before speaking. "Bells, I'm not so sure this is the flu."

I shrug and think for a moment. "Maybe it's just a stomach bug without the fever and stuff."

She takes a deep breath and lets it out. "Just to be sure, I got something for you."

"What?" I ask. "More medicine? The crackers really do help settle my stomach, so I don't think I need to take anything else."

"No. I got you a pregnancy test."

I look at her dumbfounded, blinking my eyes while I try to take in her words. "You think I'm pregnant?"

"I don't know … but I think maybe we should rule it out."

"Um, okay?" I ask more than state. Setting my laptop aside, I take the plastic bag from her hand and get out of bed, the movement causing another wave of nausea to go through me. Thankfully, I don't feel like I'm actually going to throw up this time, so I sit on the edge of the bed and pull the cardboard box out of the bag.

We read the instructions together, and then I head into the bathroom to do what needs to be done. Capping the test, I bring it back into my bedroom with me, placing it face down on my nightstand.

Alice hugs me when I sit down next to her. "Whatever happens, I'll be here for you."

"Thanks," I say through a sniffle, not realizing that tears have started falling from my eyes.

After waiting the longest three minutes of my life, Alice tells me it's time.

"I can't look, Ali." I shake my head, refusing to admit that there is even a possibility of being pregnant.

She gets up quietly and steps in front of the test, turning it over and setting it back down. When her eyes fall to me filled with sympathy, I don't even need her to tell me the result.

"How did this happen?" I cry out. "He used a condom! I watched him put it on, Ali."

Sitting back down with her arm around me, she shushes me and strokes my hair. "Maybe it broke. They're not one hundred percent effective," she says sympathetically.

"Oh my God, what am I gonna do?" I cup my stomach, and as if right on cue, the reality hits me like a ton of bricks and I bolt for the bathroom, emptying the meager contents of my stomach into the toilet once again.

Alice follows me into the bathroom, holding my hair out of the way until I'm finished and then handing me the mouthwash. "We'll figure it out, sweetie," she says tenderly.

She sits with me on my bed and holds me while I cry for God knows how long. My thoughts are jumbled, but the one thing I know for sure is that if there's a life growing inside of me, I can't get rid of it. Life is already too fragile, and I will do everything in my power to protect this baby.

My mother walked out on my father and me when I was only three. It wasn't until I was fourteen that I learned she had died of a drug overdose several years prior. My father, Charlie, was the only family I had left, and he was also taken from me too soon. I won't be responsible for taking an innocent life.

This baby may only ever have me to love it, but I know for sure that I will do my best to give it the most amazing life possible.

With that realization firmly in place, I tell Alice, "It looks like I'm going to be a single mom. I don't even know where to start."

After a moment of contemplation, she tells me what's on her mind. "I think the first place we need to start is by finding Edward Cullen."

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**See you on Wednesday!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

True to her word, Alice helps me with all of my immediate needs. She sets up an appointment with an OB/GYN and promises to come with me, buys pregnancy books and, most importantly, begins trying to hunt down Edward Cullen.

I've thought this over several times since finding out I'm pregnant, and I'm still not sure what I'll be trying to accomplish if I am successful in contacting him. Sure, I agree that he should know that he fathered a child, but I get the feeling that he won't be interested based on his actions. Clearly, I was not the first female he randomly had sex with, and I'm sure I won't be the last—which is part of the reason I left when I did, to save myself the embarrassment of being kicked out. Who knows how many other children he's fathered, or how many women claim to have his child.

Also, I don't need his money. Although I'm only a year and a half out of college and working an entry level job, I have plenty of my own money. I own the house in Redmond that Alice and I live in, and due to the unfortunate circumstances of my father's death, I received all of the proceeds of his life insurance policies and his pension.

I honestly don't need to work, but I do because I couldn't stand to sit home and do nothing all day. And, I want my father to be proud of what I make of my life. But it's nice to know that I have a safety net and won't have to be as concerned about money as most single mothers would be.

"Ugh," Alice sighs, closing her laptop with more force than necessary. "All I've been able to find is an address for Breaking Dawn's management, and honestly, it looks like a fan mail address."

I nod and go back to preparing dinner for the two of us—well, the three of us, since my appetite kicked back in a few days ago. I still get sick, but not as often, and I found that eating more actually makes me feel better.

"We've got some time," I tell her with a shrug. We agreed that I wouldn't make any attempt to contact him until after my first doctor's appointment so I could at least confirm the pregnancy.

Two days later, Alice links her arm through mine as we walk out of the OB's office. I have a picture of my little bean in my hand and a smile on my face.

It's amazing how it suddenly feels so much more real. The OB confirmed the pregnancy and performed an ultrasound to make sure everything was on track. It's now the third week in July, and according to the doctor, I'm six weeks and five days pregnant.

We were able to hear the baby's heartbeat and see it flicker on the screen while Dr. Jansen took some measurements. There is officially a tiny human being growing inside of me.

The minute we get home, Alice pulls out her laptop and navigates back to the Breaking Dawn website.

"You get started on writing your letter, and I'll find the address again."

"Do I have to do this right now?" I plead. "I have plenty of time."

She looks at me sadly. "I don't think it's going to be that easy to get in touch with him. I really think you should start trying as soon as possible."

I relent, knowing she's right but dreading it nonetheless.

What do you write to the father of your baby when he most likely doesn't even remember you? It's not like I can come right out and tell him he's going to be a daddy in a letter that I'll be sending to a fan club address. Who knows who might read it?

In the end, I come up with something generic that I hope will find its way to Edward.

_July 18, 2012_

_Dear Edward,_

_My name is Bella Swan. We met at an autograph signing after the June 12, 2012 Breaking Dawn concert in Seattle, WA. I need to speak with you, so if you could please contact me, I'd appreciate it. My contact information is below._

_Sincerely,  
__Bella__  
_

Alice mails the letter for me the next morning when I can't bring myself to do it.

And then we wait.

Life goes on and I get back to a regular schedule with work. Within a few weeks, my energy starts to come back and I'm feeling better all around. I've come to accept that I'll be a single mom and even start making some plans.

The house that I own has three bedrooms, but I use one of them as an office for work. I decide that when the time comes, I'll move my office into the den and set up the spare bedroom as a nursery for the baby.

I tell Alice that she's welcome to stay with me as long as she wants, but not to feel obligated to me. If living with a pregnant woman or a single mom ever becomes too much, I want her to be honest with me. She promises that she's in this for the long haul, as long as I need her.

I'm so thankful to have her in my life.

On August eighth, Alice calls out to me when she gets home from work. "You have mail, Bella," she yells up the stairs to where I'm working in my office. "The return address is from Breaking Dawn!"

I rush down the stairs, eager to see if Edward has responded.

"Let me see!" I grab the envelope from her hand, but am instantly disappointed when I see "Photo Enclosed—Do Not Bend" stamped on the outside.

I tear it open and pull out the contents, finding a form letter and an autographed picture of the band.

I read the letter out to Alice.

"'Dear fan …' Oh, God. It doesn't get much more generic than that. 'Thank you for taking the time to write to a member of Breaking Dawn. Enclosed is an autographed picture of the band from their most recent US tour. Sincerely, Breaking Dawn.'"

My shoulders sag. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but an autographed picture isn't it.

"Well, at least now we have a picture, since you forgot the others," Alice says, trying to lighten the mood.

I chuckle in response but ask, "What now?"

She sighs. "I think you should keep writing and hope that someone eventually takes it seriously."

"Yeah, you're probably right. I mean, unless we find another way to contact him, this is the best I can do. I at least have to be able to say I made an effort, right?"

Alice agrees, and in the end we decide that I'll write a letter after every doctor's appointment.

So, on August fifteenth, after hearing the baby's heartbeat through a Doppler, I send my next letter.

_August 15, 2012_

_Dear Edward,_

_My name is Bella Swan. We met at an autograph signing after the June 12, 2012 Breaking Dawn concert in Seattle, WA. I need to speak with you urgently, so if you could please contact me, I'd appreciate it. My contact information is below._

_Sincerely,  
__Bella__  
_

With the end of August comes the end of my first trimester. I'm starting to show to the outside world and finally break down and let Alice take me shopping for some maternity clothes. I mostly go for comfortable clothes, seeing as I work from home and like to be cozy, but Alice also convinces me to buy a few nice things. "Just in case," she insists.

Right on schedule, another form letter and autographed picture arrives in early September. I put it aside with the first one. If nothing else, it's proof that I have been trying to contact Edward.

My third letter is written on September twelfth. It's essentially the same, but I try to change each one up a bit so whoever is reading it doesn't think that _I_ am sending _them_ form letters.

_September 12, 2012_

_Edward,_

_My name is Bella Swan and we met at an autograph signing after the June 12, 2012 Breaking Dawn concert in Seattle, WA. I need to speak with you urgently, so if you could please contact me, I'd appreciate it. Below I have included various ways to reach me._

_Sincerely,  
__Bella__  
_

It's around this time that my dreams become strange and highly erotic. I've never been one to fantasize much before, but these dreams include vivid scenarios that all involve Edward Cullen. My rational mind knows that even if I were to ever contact him, he wouldn't want me in that way. However, my subconscious can't help but fantasize about what it would be like to be with him again.

The pregnancy books all say that these dreams are normal, as well as an increased libido. That's great, except I don't have much of an outlet for my newfound sex drive.

I guess I better get used to it … the life of a single mother, and all that.

Another new month means adding a third form letter and autographed picture to the pile in my desk drawer. I don't know why I keep getting my hopes up, but with each canned response, I deflate just a little bit more.

After my eighteen week appointment, I write my fourth letter.

_October 10, 2012_

_Please deliver to Edward Cullen!_

_Edward,_

_I am Bella Swan, and we met at an autograph signing after the June 12, 2012 Breaking Dawn concert in Seattle, WA. I need to speak with you urgently, so if you could please contact me, I'd appreciate it. Below I have included various ways to reach me. Please use whatever method is most convenient._

_Sincerely,  
__Bella__  
_

My belly is now expanding rapidly, and I am able to feel the baby's movements both internally and externally. It's an amazing feeling, knowing that a life is growing inside of me and my body is able to provide it with everything it needs to survive.

Alice is equally as excited about feeling the baby move and takes every chance she can get to touch my stomach. As we sit watching a movie one night, she rests her hand on me and leaves it there. My mind becomes occupied with thoughts of how I will never have an excited husband putting his hand on my belly, feeling his baby before it's born. I blame the resulting tears on the movie and pregnancy hormones.

When I am twenty weeks pregnant, Alice accompanies me to my ultrasound appointment. We're both excited to see the baby on the screen again now that it's more fully formed. Also, I'm anxious to see if I can learn the gender of the baby.

Although a surprise would be nice, I have determined that I need to know the gender ahead of time. I don't have a large family or lots of friends to throw me a baby shower and buy gifts for the baby, so I will need to buy everything on my own. I am fine with this; I've been on my own for so long now, anyway. But, it will take a little extra planning for me to be ready when the baby arrives.

"I'm so excited, Bella!" Alice exclaims as she holds my hand.

I'm lying on the table with my belly exposed and a full bladder as the ultrasound technician begins the scan. "Me, too, Ali."

"I'm just going to take some measurements first, and then if I can see the genitals, I'll let you know, okay?" the tech explains.

Alice and I watch as the baby's face, hands, legs and more become visible on the screen. The tech does her job, but I also notice that she's printing out pictures as she goes. I am in absolute awe when she moves back over the baby's face, and I see that it's now sucking its thumb.

"I'm pretty sure I can get a clear picture of the genitals," she tells us after about fifteen minutes. "You sure you want to know?"

"Definitely," I respond with a smile on my face.

"Do you see these three lines?" she asks, pointing to the screen. I see the length of the baby's legs in a V shape, and can make out three hazy lines at the middle of the V so I nod. "That means this is a girl."

I sigh with a huge grin. I didn't care whether it was a boy or a girl, but knowing somehow makes it that much more real.

Alice squeals. "Oh, I'm going to have so much fun shopping for my niece!"

Not long after the ultrasound, my fourth rejection letter—as I've come to call them—arrives. It's added to the pile.

"Pretty soon, we'll be able to wallpaper the baby's room with these," Alice jokes. "At least she'll have lots of pictures of her daddy."

I give a halfhearted laugh. I've already resigned myself to the fact that this baby will never know her father, so I'm not sure why I continue to try to reach him. It's the responsible thing to do, I guess.

I continue to send letters as my baby grows safely inside of me, decreasing the amount of time between letters as my due date approaches and my doctor's appointments become more frequent. I'm hoping that someone will recognize how desperately I'm trying to get in touch with Edward and finally pass one along.

But, to my utter disappointment, the form letters and autographed pictures continue to arrive in my mailbox. By the beginning of March, one week before my due date, I've sent a total of eleven letters and lost all hope that my daughter will ever know her father.

* * *

**A/N: Once again, you guys are blowing me away with your response to this story. I thank you all for taking the time to read and review. I know there are still a lot of questions, but they'll all be answered soon.**

**Apparently, there were issues on FFN yesterday with reviews not posting. If you didn't receive a review reply from me, that means your review unfortunately didn't post, but I appreciate you trying!**

**We have one more chapter from Bella before things move back to our soon-to-be Daddyward. There will be a teaser posted on Fic Central tonight, and the link will be on Twitter and Facebook. See you on Friday!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The morning of March fifth dawns cold and dreary, just like every other day of a Seattle winter.

I am exhausted this morning, but that's also not unusual. At almost forty weeks pregnant, my belly feels like it's bigger than the rest of me. I can't get comfortable at night to sleep longer than about an hour at a time. I just accept this as practice for when my daughter arrives.

With great effort, I haul myself out of bed and use the bathroom. That's another reason for lack of sleep. The baby's head is currently resting on my bladder, causing me to have to pee every ten minutes.

I've also been experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions. They're not painful, but another source of annoyance. I love my daughter more than anything in the world, but I'm ready to evict her.

Another Braxton Hicks contraction hits as I sit down to use the toilet. It passes quickly while I'm peeing, but I notice that I'm peeing more than usual. There is a big gush, followed by a slow trickle. I was just up about an hour ago to go to the bathroom, so I'm confused at how there could be so much. Besides, my bladder feels like it can only hold about a teaspoon these days.

I brush my teeth and waddle downstairs to the kitchen, finding Alice making a mug of tea. I'd give anything for a cup of coffee right now, but I've been good the entire pregnancy with staying away from too much caffeine so there's no reason to start now.

"Morning, sunshine!" a way too chipper Alice greets.

"Morning," I grumble. "You off to work soon?"

"Yeah, in about a half hour. You should really just consider starting your maternity leave early, Bella. You look so exhausted."

"I am exhausted," I tell her. "But, if I need a nap, I can take a nap and just work later into the evening. Besides, it's not like I can actually sleep right now, so it would be a waste of time."

"Eh, good point," she concedes with a shrug.

Just then, I feel the baby move and wetness seep out of me. "Shoot!" I say, jumping up from my seat. "Ugh, I _just_ went to the bathroom. She must be headbutting my bladder."

I hear Alice's laughter as I make my way to the bathroom as quickly as possible. A slow trickle comes out, but this time, it doesn't feel like urine.

"Alice," I call out from the half-bath on the first floor. "I think my water broke!"

"What?" she exclaims, appearing in the doorway that I left open in my haste to get to the toilet.

"I don't think this is pee," I explain. "It just keeps trickling out."

"Oh my God," she shouts, clapping her hands together. "Baby's coming! I'll go call your doctor. Do you want me to get you clean clothes so you don't have to go back up the stairs?"

"Please," I beg. "That would be so much help."

Thirty minutes later, we're in Alice's car and on the way to the hospital. In that time, I've noticed that what I thought were Braxton Hicks contractions are actually more intense than usual and getting closer together. So far, they're coming about every six to eight minutes.

Alice gets our bags from the car while I check into the maternity ward. I'm preregistered, so there's no paperwork to fill out, and I'm shown directly to a triage room and given a gown to change into.

"I'm just going to check the fluid," a doctor tells me. "Once we make sure it's amniotic fluid, we'll move you to a room."

She does a quick internal exam and uses a special piece of paper to check the fluid. After disposing of her gloves and the paper, she returns to my side with the final verdict.

"Well, it looks like you're here to stay, Ms. Swan. Not only was that definitely amniotic fluid, you're also already dilated about four and a half centimeters."

I sigh and close my eyes, dropping my head back down onto the pillow as I nod in acknowledgement at the doctor. My emotions are all over the place right now. Yes, I want the baby to be here already, but at the same time, I'm scared to death of becoming a mother.

I know everyone says you'll just know what to do when it happens, but the fears are still there. I don't have anyone other than Alice to guide me. I never really had a mother of my own—at least not one that I remember—and my biggest fear is that I'll be just like her.

From what I understand from my father, she always said she just didn't feel like she was meant to be a mother. I know she was flighty and free spirited, so maybe that contributed to her up and leaving us, but it doesn't alleviate my fears about turning out like her.

I would never abandon my child; I loved her from the moment I knew she was growing inside of me. I just hope I'm able to give her everything she needs in life. Well, everything except a father. I already know I can't give her that.

Alice joins me when I'm moved to a regular room, and her presence is comforting. She always knows just what I need, so when she sees the look on my face, she immediately takes my hand and sits on the side of the bed.

"Everything's going to be just fine," she assures me.

I nod, but can't form words to answer her as tears build in my eyes. Thankfully, she understands.

Alice does her best to distract me as we pass the time, telling me gossip about her friends from work, braiding my hair to keep it out of my face and playing cards just to have something to do with ourselves. The contractions begin to get painful, and when the doctor checks on me around eleven thirty, she offers me an epidural. I gladly accept her offer.

By the time the anesthesiologist arrives in my room, it's noon and we've been in the hospital for about three hours. Alice holds my hands as the tube is placed in my back, and most of the pain disappears as soon as the medication is flowing through it. I still feel pressure with each contraction, but it's much less noticeable than it was before.

I doze off and on while I can, knowing that I'll need all of my energy to push my daughter out in a few hours.

I'm woken up around one thirty when Dr. Jansen arrives.

"Bella," she greets with a warm smile. "I understand you should be close to delivery time. How about I check out your progress and we'll decide how soon we can meet your daughter?"

"That sounds good," I tell her sleepily, assuming the position for another internal exam.

I wince at the pressure as Dr. Jansen performs her exam, feeling the need to push her hand right out of my body. When she's finished, she looks up at me and declares that it's time. "You're fully dilated and effaced, but the baby is still at a minus three station, so you're going to have a fair amount of pushing ahead of you."

"Okay," I say as the nerves settle in, but Alice is by my side in an instant.

As soon as the team of medical staff is assembled in my room, the fun begins. One nurse counts to ten slowly while she and Alice hold my legs, and I push for as long as she's counting. After a few pushes, I swear someone must have turned off the epidural, because I begin to feel the pain of each contraction immensely.

"You have to give it everything you've got, Bella," Dr. Jansen says. What does she think I'm doing here? Painting my toenails? "Push harder. I want to see some good movement on the next push."

I try to catch my breath, but before I know it, another contraction hits and I'm instructed to push again. I do give it everything I have, and I hear encouraging words from the doctor telling me that the head is starting to come down, just before another nurse chimes in and announces, "Heart rate dropping."

"Stop pushing for a moment, Bella," the doctor tells me. Sure, now that I've made some progress, I have to stop.

Everyone on the medical team is focused on one of the monitors as I try to catch my breath again. When a loud beeping sounds, the room erupts into a frenzy.

"Call the OR. We need a C-section, STAT. I need general anesthesia because I need to get her out."

I'm trying to pay attention as people are flying about the room, but I have no idea what's going on. Two nurses begin wheeling my bed toward the door and telling Alice that she'll have to wait there.

"What's going on?" I ask one of them, frightened.

"The baby's heart rate dropped and didn't come back up, so we need to get her out as quickly as possible," she says as they continue to rapidly wheel my bed down the hallway and through a set of doors. "You'll be given general anesthesia so we can get to her faster."

Tears form in my eyes and slide down my cheeks as I begin to understand the enormity of the situation. My baby could be dying right now, and I haven't even gotten the chance to meet her yet.

My mind is going through a million "what if" scenarios. I'm scared to death. I just want her to be safe. My last thought as a mask is placed over my face and I'm told to breathe deeply is that I've already failed her as a mommy.

I wake up slowly and find myself in a large room with lots of noise.

"Welcome back," Alice greets from beside me with a smile on her face.

"What …" I rasp out. "What happened? Where's my daughter?" My hands immediately go to my now soft stomach.

"You're in the recovery room, sweetie," she says, putting a hand on my arm to soothe me. "The doctor got to her fast enough and she's just fine. Perfect, even." Her smile widens.

"You've seen her?"

She holds up her cell phone, and I get my first view of my daughter. There is a pink hat covering her head and her eyes are closed, but I can already tell that she's the most precious thing in the world. The tears start flowing again. Thankfully, this time they're happy tears.

"I'm going to get your nurse," Alice tells me. "She said that as soon as you were awake, you'd be able to go back to your room and meet your daughter."

Within ten minutes, I'm being wheeled back down the hall and into my room. The nurse says she'll have the nursery staff bring the baby in as soon as possible as she leaves Alice and me alone.

After what seems like forever but is only actually fifteen minutes, my daughter is brought into the room in a bassinette. Alice immediately picks her up and hands her to me.

"Oh my gosh, she's so beautiful," I say, stroking her delicate cheek. I pull off the little hat and take in her mess of light brown, nearly blonde hair, which she must have inherited from her father because no one in my family ever had light hair.

"I know," Alice says, holding up her cell phone and snapping pictures of us. "Are you going to tell me her name now?"

I smile brightly. "Aunt Alice, I'd like you to meet Charlotte Alice Swan, or Charlie for short."

"Oh, Bella! I'm so honored." Alice throws her arms around both of us. "You know I love you both. I'm going to be the best aunt ever!"

Charlie and I get to know each other over the next three days while we're in the hospital. She takes to breastfeeding like a champ, and so far is sleeping wonderfully. Of course, I know not to expect that to last.

Alice drives us home and brings our bags inside while I carry Charlie in her car seat, having been told by the doctor that I'm not allowed to lift anything over that weight for the next few weeks while I recover. I'm also not allowed to use the stairs too often, so Alice tells me to take Charlie upstairs and get some rest while she makes us some lunch.

That night, after nursing and burping Charlie and then putting her in her bassinette to sleep, I sit down and write my final letter to Edward Cullen.

* * *

**A/N: Once again, I'd like to thank you all for reading and reviewing. I'm over the moon at the response this story has been getting. I can't respond to reviewers who aren't signed in, so please make sure you sign in before reviewing.**

**That was our last chapter from Bella. The rest of the story belongs to Edward. Several people asked why Bella didn't do more to look for Edward, like hire a PI or go to a lawyer. The answer is simply that she did what she could while still focusing on her life, which was already flipped upside down. But this *is* a Daddyward story, so you know she's going to get in touch with him somehow.**

**As always, teasers will be posted on Fictionators (Mondays) and Fic Central (Wednesday nights) and I will post links on Facebook and Twitter. You can find links to my Facebook and Twitter pages in my Fanfiction profile. If I have not accepted your friend request on Facebook, please PM me.**

**I am going to try to keep up with posting 3 times a week for now since everyone seems to enjoy the frequent updates.**

**Thanks to beachcomberlc for being an awesome beta.**

**See you on Monday!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Who's ready for Daddyward?**

**Chapter 5**

"Let's take five and then we'll try that one again," the disembodied voice of the studio director says over the intercom.

I practically throw my headphones down and sprint out of the recording studio. Once I make my way into the lounge, I grab a bottle of cold water and chug it.

"What's with you?" Emmett asks from behind me, startling me enough that I dribble water on the floor.

"What?" I ask defensively, wiping my mouth discreetly.

Our six foot, two hundred thirty pound drummer continues with an attitude. "I don't know what's going on with you lately, Edward, but you need to get your head out of your ass so we can finish this album."

"I'm doing my best, so get off my ass," I bark with an angry glare. "I'm sorry, Mr. Perfect, if I can't be 'on' every single day."

Emmett sighs and sits down in one of the plush chairs. "It's fine to have an off day, but it seems like you've been having a lot of them lately," he retorts. "You havin' a problem getting laid? 'Cause you know I'll find you someone. Just because I have Rosie doesn't mean that I can't find you a woman."

I let out a grunt and fall onto the couch. "Fuck if I know what's wrong. I can't put my finger on it. For the last few months I've just been feeling like something's off. Maybe I just miss being on the road," I lament with a shrug.

After our final gig in Seattle—coincidentally, our hometown—we took a few weeks off to rest and regroup. But before long, we were getting back together to start writing our next album. With several months of grueling writing and composing under our belts, Emmett, Rosalie and I are now back in the studio to record the fruits of our labor.

It's true that I haven't gotten laid in a while, but I doubt that's my problem. There have been a few chicks here and there that I met at parties or bars, and they've always gotten the job done just the way I like it—with no strings attached. But for some reason, even getting laid hasn't been releasing my tension like it used to.

"Maybe you just miss all the easy pussy," Em snaps back at me.

Before I can come up with a witty retort, Rose comes barging through the lounge door. "We need to get our shit together if we're ever going to get this album done," she announces.

"I know," I sigh. "I'm working on it."

We sit and chat for a few minutes, talking about some changes that might help the flow of the current song we're working on, when our manager, Aro joins us.

"Edward," he says, taking a seat on the couch next to me. "There's something I think you need to see." He's holding an envelope in his hand and flipping it over nervously. "Marcus just brought this in. He said one of the interns was answering fan mail and came across it. When she read it, she realized it needed to go to you, personally."

"Okay, what is it?" I wonder aloud, waiting for him to hand me the envelope.

With a cautious look in my direction, he gives it to me.

I open the normal looking envelope and pull out a handwritten note dated four days ago.

_March 8, 2013_

_Please deliver to Edward Cullen!_

_Dear Edward,_

_This is my twelfth and final letter. I didn't want to include this information in a letter because I thought it wouldn't be appropriate, but I realize now that I have no other choice and no other way to contact you._

_My name is Bella Swan and we met at the autograph signing following Breaking Dawn's June 12, 2012 concert in Seattle, WA. Your assistant asked me to wait in your dressing room for you, and I did. Even if you don't remember me, I'm sure you know what happened._

_I have been writing to you and including my contact information since I found out that I was pregnant, but the only response I ever got was a form letter and autographed picture._

_I am now writing to let you know that you have a daughter. Charlotte "Charlie" Alice Swan was born on March 5, 2013. As I'm sure you can imagine, being a single mother will be keeping me busy, so I will not have time to continue to try and contact you._

_Before you jump to any conclusions, please understand that I do not want or need any money from you. I am fully able to support Charlie on my own. I just thought you had a right to know that you fathered a child. If you happen to remember me, then you will understand how I know she is yours._

_Should you be interested in meeting your daughter, my contact information is once again listed below. I've also included a picture for you._

_Sincerely,  
__Bella Swan__  
_

My hands are shaking by the time I finish reading the letter. I pull out the picture, although I don't need it to remind me of what Bella looks like, nor do I need it to prove that her child is mine. I've had women trying to claim I'm their kid's father before, but none of them were virgins with a broken condom.

I remember every detail of the encounter with Bella, from the first time I heard her soft voice to the moment I realized she had fled the room leaving her autographed pictures behind. She probably thinks the pictures she received after each of her letters are some sort of sick joke.

I look at the picture she sent and take in every detail. The focus is clearly on the baby's face, but she is in Bella's arms. Bella's beautiful face is also visible, gazing lovingly at her daughter. The baby is swaddled in standard hospital blankets. I see angelic chubby cheeks and a button nose. I also notice light colored hair, nearly blonde. It's in direct contrast to Bella's dark locks, which are flowing over her shoulders. Unless there's someone else in her family with light hair, that's a trait this kid got from me. My hair didn't darken to this brownish-red color until I was a few years old.

The room is deathly quiet when I look up from the picture. All eyes are on me.

"What's going on, Edward?" Rose asks after several moments of silence.

"I … I have a daughter," I finally stutter out.

"What?" Emmett bellows. "Another chick trying to get famous off you? You need to start being more selective, and probably more careful."

I sigh and gather my courage. No sense hiding this from my best friends. "I am always careful, Em. I never use a condom from a chick—only my own that I know haven't been tampered with. But, trust me, this kid is mine."

"How can you be so sure?" he inquires.

"I met her after the last gig in Seattle," I confess, defeated. "Not only was she a virgin, but the condom broke. She left before I could tell her that, though."

"Geez, you chase 'em off that fast? I thought for sure you'd let them stick around until their clothes were righted."

I appreciate him trying to lighten the situation up a bit, but it's just not going to work right now. My mind is all fucked up over this news.

"Honestly," I sigh. "I felt bad about the blood and ran into the bathroom before she could see it. That's when I realized the condom broke. By the time I came out of the bathroom, she was gone."

"What are you going to do?" Rose asks sympathetically, moving to sit on my other side on the couch and placing her hand on my knee.

"I don't know," I respond with a shrug. "She says that she doesn't need money, but just wanted me to know that I had a daughter. According to this, she's been trying to contact me since she found out she was pregnant."

I look to Aro, and he nods in confirmation. In his typical all-business manner, he tells me, "The intern said she remembered seeing letters with this same contact information on it before, but they've all been instructed to just respond with the standard reply to every letter. I'm sorry this wasn't brought to your attention sooner, but there was nothing in any of those letters that would have clued us in that this person was anything other than a fan trying to get a personal phone call from you."

"Yeah, that's understandable," I agree. "Listen, guys, I know we have the studio for a few more hours, but would you mind if we call it a day? If I wasn't useful before this," I say, holding up the letter. "Then I doubt I'll be any good now."

Emmett and Rose nod while Aro responds. "Take the afternoon off and figure out what you need to do. We'll meet back here tomorrow morning and get back to business."

I barely make it down to my car in the parking garage before I break down. "Fuck!" I yell, slamming my fists against the steering wheel.

I don't know what to think right now. On the one hand, I had imagined meeting Bella again. She was so shy and innocent, yet beautiful in an unassuming way. So unlike most of the women I meet. On the other hand, I never wanted children.

Ever.

My birth parents weren't exactly model parents. The last I heard about them, my birth father was still in jail and my birth mother had died of a drug overdose. My adoptive parents, Carlisle and Esme, are wonderful people, but it's not their blood that runs through my body. I've always been afraid of turning out like Edward Masen Sr., who is an abusive and neglectful father, or like Elizabeth Masen, who was a drug addicted whore. Yeah, I've got the whore part down.

This is also why I never do relationships. Ed and Liz ruined each other. From what I understand, they were both decent people before they got together, but their relationship changed everything. I made my peace with not being a relationship kind of guy a long time ago. I could never do to a woman what Ed did to Liz—especially not one as sweet as Bella Swan, although it looks like I managed to ruin her life without even trying.

But, now that I know there's a child out there who belongs to me, can I turn my back on her? If nothing else, doesn't Bella deserve to know what kind of shit to expect from my half of the gene pool?

I pull the picture out again and run my fingers over the tiny face. Little Charlie. She truly is beautiful; there's no denying that. She has her mother's heart-shaped face and almond eyes, although I can't tell what color they are.

Maybe I should just talk to Bella. Perhaps she doesn't really even want me in the child's life, and was only contacting me out of obligation. That would probably be best for all of us.

Understanding that I'm not going to get anywhere by sitting in my car, I finally pull out of the parking lot and head home. As usual, there are paparazzi sitting outside the gates of my community, though there are other celebrities that live here also. Thankfully, they can't go any further than the gate, but this is no kind of life to subject a kid to. Every one of my movements are watched and reported in the tabloids.

I groan as I park in my garage. If it ever comes out that I'm the father of Bella's child, her life will also be under a microscope. She'll be branded as one of my whores for sleeping with me, even though we both know that's not true.

Fuck! If nothing else, I at least need to let her know what she's up against.

Before I can think twice about it, I'm back in my car and entering her address into my GPS.

I have no idea what I'm going to say to her when I get there. I just know I need to see her and talk to her, and I need to do it now, before I lose my nerve.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for sticking with me until we could get back to Daddyward! Things happened this way for a reason. I am so happy to have so many people reading and enjoying this story.**

**Please make sure you sign in and have PMs enabled so I can respond to your review.**

**Thanks again to my beta, beachcomberlc for her awesomeness.**

******A teaser for chapter 6 will be posted on Facebook tomorrow. See you on Wednesday!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Never Forget - 9/11/2001**

**Chapter 6**

It only takes twenty minutes to drive from my house to Bella's with the light afternoon traffic. I'm surprised to find that she lives in a nice neighborhood, in what appears to be a decent sized townhouse. Maybe she lives with her parents. Or, maybe she wasn't lying when she said she didn't need any money from me.

As I sit in my car and stare at the front of her house, I wonder if I should offer her some anyway. I don't know … maybe that would make her keep her child's paternity quiet and be best for all of us.

I ponder that for a moment and realize that if she wanted publicity or money, she'd have done it by now. Even though she wasn't able to get in touch with me through her letters, she easily could have gone to the media. No doubt a story about "Edward Cullen, man-whore extraordinaire" fathering a child would have sold for a pretty penny. I know the last two have.

Yet, she didn't do that; at least, not so far.

It's hard for someone like me to not be skeptical since it's not the first time someone has tried to claim having my child. It's all part of being famous. The other two times, it resulted in DNA tests and lawyer fees just to prove that the kids weren't mine.

Only this time, I know it's not just a claim. Even if she'd been with someone else shortly after our night together, what are the chances that the condom broke then, too? Or that she didn't use protection at all? The timing definitely makes sense. And, I seriously doubt that the woman I met that night would be sleeping around right after losing her virginity.

Giving myself an internal pep talk, I eventually man up and step out of my car. I look over my shoulder a few times as I walk to her door, making sure I haven't been followed and no one sees me. The last thing I need is for some pap to snap a picture now. In fifteen minutes, Bella's name would be all over the internet with some made up story—not that it could be any worse than the truth.

I take a deep breath and force it out noisily. Gathering my courage, I force my finger to ring the doorbell, and then I shove my hands in my pockets as I try to keep my body in place. Every fiber of my being wants to run away from this house and from this situation.

The door opens before I have a chance to escape. A petite woman with short, black hair stands in the doorway with her eyes wide and her mouth open. She doesn't say anything.

"Um," I mutter. "I'm looking for Bella Swan."

It takes another moment, but when she finally snaps out of it, she screeches out, "Of course! Come in, let me go tell her."

She steps aside and I enter the house. A quick glance around proves that a baby lives here. There is an open package of diapers sitting right inside the door, a baby swing in the living room, just off to my right, and a basket of tiny clothes sitting on the far end of the couch.

"Have a seat," the woman offers. "I'm Alice, by the way. Um … I'll just go tell Bella that you're here."

"Edward," I offer, since she didn't bother to ask my name.

She smirks. "Right."

I nod and head toward the couch as Alice disappears up the stairs. As I sit down, I make the connection. Alice is the friend who was too sick to come to the autograph signing. If it wasn't for Alice, Bella and I may never have met and wouldn't be in this situation.

Right now, I'm not so sure that I like this Alice person.

She reappears, wringing her hands. "Bella will just be a minute. She's just feeding the ba … your daugh … um, Charlie."

I sigh and drop my head against the wall, closing my eyes. It looks like I'm not the only one unsure about this situation.

"Can I get you a drink?" Alice asks.

"Sure, some water would be great."

When Alice returns from the kitchen, she hands me the glass of water and then goes back to wringing her hands. She sits down in a chair to my left and stares at me.

I take a sip of the water and then place the glass on the coffee table, attempting to ignore her unnerving stare. My forearms rest on my knees as I breathe in and out, trying to keep myself calm.

Alice breaks the silence again. "Um, Bella's not really allowed to use the stairs too much, so when she's done, I'll take you upstairs."

I look at her questioningly. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. But she had a C-section and it's only been a week, so she's not supposed to overdo it right now."

"Why did she have a C-section?"

Alice looks at me sympathetically for a moment before responding. "I should really just let you talk to Bella."

I nod once, accepting that it's not really her place to provide me with this information.

We sit in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before Bella's soft voice calls from upstairs.

"Alice?"

Alice jumps up and goes to the bottom of the stairs. "You decent now, Bells?"

I hear Bella respond in the affirmative, so I get up from the couch and follow Alice.

I feel like I'm being led to my execution as we slowly ascend the stairs. One hand is on the banister, holding me steady, and the other is tugging at the top of my hair. I still don't know what I'm going to say when I see her.

We turn left at the top of the stairs and Alice gestures toward an open door. "I'll be downstairs if you need anything," she says kindly.

I take one more deep breath before knocking on the open door frame. I can't bring my eyes up to look at anything but the floor in front of me.

"Come in," Bella's sweet voice calls out.

I finally look up and glance around the room, taking one step to enter it. The walls are a soft blue, the usual furniture is to my left—a dresser and an armoire—windows directly across from me, and a large bed to my right. Under the windows sits a white bassinette. I quickly avert my eyes, not ready to deal with what's in that bassinette yet.

Bella is sitting Indian style on the bed when our eyes meet.

"Hi," I choke out. I came to see her, so I guess I need to say something more. "Uh … I just got your letter. Like, two hours ago." It's a start.

Her shoulders sag, and I wonder if it's in relief or exhaustion. As I take in her appearance, I realize that she looks completely exhausted. I guess that's to be expected though, considering she has a week-old baby.

"Do you want to sit down?" she asks, gesturing to the end of the bed.

"Sure." I take the few steps and sit on the end of the bed. Reaching down, I untie my shoelaces and kick off my Doc Marten boots. I have a feeling I'm going to be here for a while, so I may as well get comfortable.

When I turn around and cross my legs, mirroring Bella's position, I see she's biting her lip and looking down. Her face is shadowed by her long hair, and she's fiddling with her fingers in her lap.

"You've probably already worked this out," I start. "But the condom broke." I run my hand through my hair nervously and give it a good tug. "Uh, you were gone before I could tell you."

She finally looks up and meets my eyes. Hers are rimmed in red as she nods. "You're not here to take her from me, are you?" she blurts out.

"What?" I ask, appalled. "No! I … uh, I really don't know why I'm here. I guess I just had to make sure you were both okay?" I ask more than state.

"We're fine," she says with a no nonsense attitude. "Like I said in my letter, I don't need anything from you. I just thought you might want to know about her." Her eyes drift over to the bassinette with a loving gaze before snapping back to mine and resuming her commanding appearance. "I guess it's up to you if you want to have any part in her life or not."

I let out a deep sigh while rubbing the back of my neck. "I honestly don't know what I want right now," I admit quietly. "Trust me when I say that I'm not Daddy material, and she'd probably be better off without me."

"I don't believe that for one minute," she retorts firmly. What happened to the timid doe I met all those months ago? It seems like her momma bear instincts have kicked in. "But, it's your choice. I understand that the kind of life you lead is not exactly conducive to having a child. You'll have to decide if you want her to be a part of it or not though, because I won't allow you to come and go as you see fit, only being available when it's convenient and disappointing her in the process."

I nod my head. "I understand that. It's just … it hasn't really all even sunk in yet, so I hope you'll give me some time."

Her eyes soften. "Of course, Edward. I can't even imagine what kind of shock this must have been to you."

I laugh humorlessly. "Yeah, you could say that." Looking at her tired form, I decide that I need to know a little more. "Would you … uh … can I ask what happened? I mean, Alice said you had a C-section. Are you okay?"

She bites her lip momentarily before answering. "Yeah, I'm okay. I mean, I'm still in pain, I have a nasty scar and I wasn't even awake for the birth of my daughter, but I'm fine."

"You weren't awake? What happened?"

She looks up at the ceiling and sighs, almost as if she's trying to hold back tears. Once she regains her composure, she tells me the story. "During delivery, I guess she didn't really move while I was trying to push her out. When I finally pushed hard enough to move her, her heart rate dropped and didn't come back up. They had to knock me out so they could get to her faster."

My eyes are wide, and I gulp in a large breath when I realize I'm not breathing.

"It turned out that the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck twice, so that one push basically strangled her. Everything turned out okay, though. They got her out in time, and I'm told that she started breathing on her own with no problem. Her pediatrician assures me that it happens all the time, and there should be no lasting issues."

I close my eyes and sigh in relief. Although I have no attachment to this child, I still feel something tugging inside of me at the thought of her dying before she was even born.

"I'm glad everything turned out all right," I say, reaching out over the space between us and taking Bella's hand in my own. It's an impulsive move, but it feels right, like we both need the comfort.

"Me, too. I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost her," she chokes out. I look up and see her wiping her eyes with her free hand.

Without even thinking, I move next to her and wrap an arm around her body, pulling her close. "Shh," I hush. "Everything's okay now."

She buries her head on my shoulder for a moment, and I can't help the ache that forms in my chest. I rub her back gently, until she suddenly snaps up and looks at me with wide eyes.

"Sorry," she cries. "I didn't mean to—"

She's cut off by another type of crying sounding from the other side of the room.

Carefully moving off the bed, she approaches the bassinette. I watch as she soothes the baby and picks her up, cradling the tiny being to her chest. When she turns around, I see that the baby is only wearing a diaper. Bella's rocking her gently as she strokes her skin.

She answers my unspoken question once the baby settles down. "She's slightly jaundiced, so they told me to keep her skin exposed to as much sunlight as possible."

I nod, not really understanding what that means, but accepting it.

Bella walks around the room for a minute before returning to where she was on the bed with the baby still in her arms.

"Do you want to hold her?" she asks gently.

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**A/N: Thanks again for your wonderful response to this story! A teaser for chapter 7 will be posted tonight on Fic Central, and I'll post the link on Facebook and Twitter. Links to my accounts are in my profile.**

**Many thanks to beachcomberlc, but all mistakes are mine.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"_Do you want to hold her?" she asks gently._

"Hold her?" I parrot, my eyes wide. "Um, I've never … I don't want to hurt her." I don't even know if I should touch her if I'm not going to be part of her life.

"You won't," Bella offers, putting a reassuring hand on my arm. I nod slightly, still scared shitless, and Bella turns to face me, holding the baby in my direction. "Just make sure you support her head."

She places the tiny, sleeping girl in my arms and then sits back. I just stare at the baby, unable to believe that I helped create this little person. The fingers of one hand gently slide over the skin on her leg.

"She's so soft," I marvel, looking up at Bella.

She smiles gently at me. "She's perfect."

I give her a small smile in return. Unable to help myself, my fingers move to run through her downy hair. "It's like mine when I was a baby," I admit softly.

Bella chuckles. "I was wondering about that. Everyone in my family has dark hair like mine."

"I hope that's all she got from me," I confess sadly.

"What do you mean?" I meet Bella's eyes and see her furrowed brows.

I sigh deeply, recognizing that she has a right to know more about me—things that almost no one else knows. I'm sure I can trust her; if she wanted to make money off of me, she would've done it by now. All I see when I look at her is a mother that wants the best for her child. What she's about to find out is that having a father in her child's life—this father—isn't necessarily the best thing.

"There's a lot that people don't know about me," I start. "A lot that's not in those tabloids you might see."

"I don't read those magazines, Edward. I probably know less about you than anyone. Since I found out I was pregnant, I didn't even let Alice talk to me about the latest gossip."

"That's probably for the best, anyway. But, I guess there are things that I _should_ tell you. I mean, stuff you might need to know, for her sake," I say, gesturing to the little girl in my arms. "I guess I'll start with the fact that I'm adopted. And, the reason that I'm adopted … is because I'm a monster."

"I don't believe that for a second," Bella argues firmly, shaking her head.

"Well, Bella, unfortunately it's true," I interrupt angrily. "My birth father is an alcoholic, abusive murderer and my birth mother was a drug addicted whore. That's the type of blood that runs through my veins, and unfortunately, through your daughter's."

Getting frustrated, I quickly hand the baby back to Bella and stand up, pacing the room with a hand in my hair.

"Our daughter," Bella corrects gently.

"What?" I quickly spin around and look at her.

"Our daughter," she repeats with a shrug. "I love her no matter what, and nothing you tell me will change that. But whether you want to be part of her life or not, she's still your daughter too."

"I know," I sigh, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "This is why I never wanted children. I hate to admit that to you, but it's true. My birth parents never should have procreated, and neither should I. I mean, I just hope for your sake, and hers, that I haven't ruined her already."

Bella struggles to stand up. When she's able, she places the baby back in the bassinette. She turns around and looks at me sadly before sitting next to me on the edge of the bed.

"Edward," Bella says, taking my hand in hers. I marvel for a moment at how so much comfort can flow from her tiny hand into my much larger one. "Can I ask you something personal?" When I nod, she continues. "How long did you live with your birth parents before you were adopted?"

"Um, I was only two when Social Services removed me from their home, and I think it was only a few months before my real parents adopted me."

"So, according to your theory, I should also be a drug addict and a horrible mother."

I look at her in confusion until she goes on.

"Edward, my mother was also a drug addict. I didn't find that out until I was fourteen and she was already dead, though. She was too flighty to hold a job and never really rose to the challenge of motherhood. She left my dad and me when I was three and ended up on the streets and addicted to drugs. I'm not even sure when she died, just that she did.

"But, I was raised by my father, who was the chief of police of our small town and a wonderful man. He was shy and quiet, just like I am. And he was responsible, doing everything he could to raise a little girl on his own.

"He's gone now, too, but I promise you, my child—_our_ child—will never see the half of me that belongs to my mother. It just doesn't exist. Don't get me wrong, I understand the nature versus nurture argument completely and recognize that there could be addictive tendencies in my genes. But I was raised by someone who taught me to be responsible, and I will never give in to those tendencies."

I'm staring at Bella, dumbfounded. I'm not even sure which part of her story I want to ask questions about first. What ends up coming out of my mouth surprises me. "Do you have _any_ family left?"

She looks down, still holding my hand and squeezing it a little tighter. "No, I don't. I just have Alice in my life. But, I promise you I will give our daughter one hundred percent of everything I have. I won't let her feel like she's missing anything."

"Oh, Bella. That's not what I meant." I drop her hand and throw my arm around her shoulders, pulling her to me. "I just didn't realize that you were so alone in this. I mean, the last nine months couldn't have been easy for you."

She lets out a sigh with her head on my shoulder. "I've been on my own since I was eighteen, so I guess I'm used to it. And, Alice is wonderful. She still lives here, in case you were wondering, but … uh, I own the house."

I draw our bodies down to lay back on the bed, surprised at how comfortable I feel around Bella. She doesn't fight me, but squirms after a moment and rolls onto her side to face me.

"My incision was hurting," she explains.

"Sorry! I didn't even think about that."

"It's okay. I'm fine."

"You keep saying that. 'I'm fine.' But, are you really? Is there anything you need?" I push some hair back from her face and watch as her honey brown eyes lock on mine.

"Really, Edward, there's nothing I need. Of course it will take me some time to recuperate, but I have Alice here to help. I have a good job that's very flexible, so I most likely won't even need to put Charlie in daycare when I start working again. And I have plenty of money."

"Do you promise you'll tell me if you ever do need anything?" I ask softly.

She sighs before responding. "I don't want you to do anything out of obligation. If you want to be a part of Charlie's life, I want you to do it because you want to. I appreciate your offer, but the only thing I can promise is that I'll do the best I can for her and give her everything that she needs."

"You sure are stubborn," I chuckle, earning a small smile from Bella.

"Another trait I got from my dad."

"Can I ask what happened to him? You said you've been alone since you were eighteen."

She rolls away from me a bit and stares up at the ceiling. "He was shot in the line of duty shortly after I graduated from high school."

"I'm sorry to hear that." I pick her hand up from the bed and thread our fingers together. I don't know what it is about this woman, but I feel very protective of her.

"Listen," she says gently. "I'm really exhausted, and I could really use a nap after I feed Charlie again. She's probably going to wake up hungry soon."

"Oh." I look at the clock and realize that we've been talking for close to two hours. "Yeah, I should get out of here and let you rest."

"You're welcome to come back to see her any time," she tells me with a squeeze to my hand. "Um, I don't know if you want your name on her birth certificate or anything. I didn't have all your information to be able to do that."

"Don't worry about it for now," I respond. "We can figure that out later. You rest up so you can take care of that little girl. Can I … can I leave you my contact information? In case you need anything?"

"Sure." She stands up slowly and hands me her cell phone.

I enter my cell phone, house phone, email and home address into her contacts and give it back to her.

"I'll see myself out. Please, call me if you need anything, okay?"

She nods and I unexpectedly grab her in a tight embrace. She doesn't fight it though. She just melts into me like she belongs there.

"I'm really sorry," I mumble into her hair, suddenly overcome with emotion.

"For what?"

She tries to pull back, but I just hold her tighter, shaking my head. "I feel like I've ruined your life."

"Edward," she admonishes, forcing her way out of my embrace and looking me in the eye. "I don't see it that way at all. If anything, you've given me the greatest gift in the world. I love her more than my own life. How could you not?"

I know that's meant to be a rhetorical question, but it pains me that I actually have to think about it. I've known that I have a child for all of four hours, while she's had nine months to get used to it. Nine months where that tiny creature was growing inside of her.

And what was I doing for those nine months? I was off partying, drinking and sleeping with random women, living my life the same way I always have, without concern for anyone else. I've never been ashamed of my life like I am right in this moment.

Instead of answering her, I take the easy way out. "I'll call you, okay?"

When she nods, I take one last glance in the baby's direction, but decide it's best if I don't get too attached. Instead, I grab my shoes, turn and walk out of the room, feeling like I'm leaving a part of myself behind.

Sitting on the top step, I put my shoes back on. My skin starts to crawl as I lace them up, and I have the overwhelming need to get myself out of there as quickly as possible.

I can feel Alice's eyes on me from the living room as I walk down the stairs. I don't acknowledge her. I'm not trying to be a dick, but I just need to get myself under control right now, and that means getting away from here. I head directly for the front door and walk outside without a glance back.

The drive home is a blur. It's a wonder that I don't get into an accident or get pulled over, but thankfully I make it to my house in one piece. Slamming the door behind me, I head straight into the kitchen and pull a beer out of the fridge, chugging half of it before I even sit down.

It's not like this situation was unexpected. I mean, I have known that the condom broke all this time. But seeing Bella and that tiny baby, it's suddenly real.

I was surprised by the revelation about Bella's mother. I don't know much about Bella, but what I do know leads me to believe that she's a good person. And, consequently, I'm a bad person. There's no doubt in my mind that I took advantage of her that night. No matter what she says about this being the greatest gift, it's not something she wanted at the time or had planned for.

There have been times in my life where I've felt bad about my actions, but I'm pretty sure this is a new low, even for me.

As I drain the beer from the bottle, I decide that I can't sit home alone tonight. Instead, I call Emmett, hoping that a night out will clear my head and get me back on track.

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**A/N: Thanks again for all of your wonderful reviews and alerts. The next teaser will be posted on Monday on Fictionators, followed by a chapter on Monday.**

**Big thanks to beachcomberlc, but all mistakes are mine.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Altered Measure is on the poll at The Lemonade Stand along with lots of other great stories. Please head on over to www dot tehlemonadestand dot net to vote for your favorites. Thank you to everyone who recommended this story!**

**Warning: There is a lemon in this chapter and it's NOT E/B. If you don't want to read it, send me a PM and I'll summarize the chapter for you. It was painful for me to write, but necessary for the story.**

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**Chapter 8**

"How about we just head over to that new bar, Eclipse? We should check it out since it's supposed to be the new hotspot," Emmett offers when I tell him I need a night out.

"Yeah. That sounds good. I'll meet you there at ten?"

"Sure, man. See you then," Emmett confirms.

I order some Chinese food for delivery and scarf it down as soon as it arrives. I've never had a problem eating alone before, but for some reason, tonight I actually feel lonely and am looking forward to a night out.

I fiddle around on my guitar, losing myself in the music for a bit before taking a quick shower and getting dressed to head out to the bar. I'm in my usual bar garb: a long sleeved T-shirt, dark jeans and Doc Marten boots. I'm not one to get dressed up to try to impress the ladies. They usually come to me anyway.

The drive to Eclipse takes about a half hour, and on the way there I start to feel guilty about going out. As I tap my fingers on the steering wheel in time to the beat of the song playing on the radio, I decide to put Bella and Charlie out of my mind for the night. I've been working hard lately, concentrating on the new album, and I deserve a night to blow off some steam, especially after the bombshell that was dropped on me today.

Of course, as soon as I think that, I realize that Bella doesn't get a night to go out and blow off some steam.

Pushing that thought aside, I hand my keys over to the valet and make my way to the club entrance, bypassing the long line of people waiting to get in. I can hear the click of camera phones going off as I approach the bouncer. It's the same thing everywhere I go in this town, so I ignore it knowing that my location will be all over the internet in a few minutes.

The bouncer looks at me and nods, moving aside the velvet rope to let me pass through. I thank him and stroll into the club.

The place is loud and already packed. Colored lights are flashing everywhere, making it difficult to see faces in the crowd. I make my way over to the first bar I come to and order a beer when the bartender acknowledges me. In the few seconds it takes for him to get my drink, a skinny blonde has already moved into my personal space.

"Hey there, wanna buy me a drink?" she purrs, running her hand up my chest.

I take a quick look at her and decide that she's not what I'm after tonight. There will be plenty of other opportunities. I gently remove her hand and turn back to the bar, dropping some money and taking my beer. "No, thanks," I tell her. "Sorry, but I'm waiting for my friends." I take a step away so she'll understand that I'm not interested, but it doesn't seem to deter her.

"Maybe I can keep you occupied while you wait," she offers, batting her eyelashes.

"I appreciate the offer, but I'm not interested." Best to get right to the point.

Thankfully, when I turn around I spot Emmett and Rose walking toward me. Emmett nods his head in the direction of some stairs, so I follow them over.

We enter a VIP area that's above the main club floor. There are several people milling about, but this is the kind of space that I need tonight—where people will leave us alone if we want to be left alone.

A waitress comes over as soon as we sit and takes drink orders from Em and Rose. She flashes a smile at me, but I hold up my beer, showing her that I'm covered for the moment.

"Have any trouble getting in?" Emmett asks me.

"Nah, the bouncer knew who I was."

"So, you're still allowed out now that you're a family man?" Rose taunts. I see that she's dressed to the nines, which always makes me laugh. I have no idea who she's trying to impress, since she's out with her boyfriend and they already live together.

"Can you keep that quiet, Rose?" I retort angrily. "I really don't need that getting out just yet."

"If Aro has his way, it'll be all over tomorrow's papers."

I sigh and take a swig of my beer. "I know, but I'm not going to let him do anything yet. At least not until I know what I'm gonna do about the situation."

"Do you really have a choice?"

"Of course I have a choice. I didn't choose for this kid to come into my life. Bella said it's up to me, basically that I'm either all in or all out." I give a one shoulder shrug.

The waitress returns with their drinks and Rose eyes me for a moment, waiting for her to leave.

"How's she gonna handle the fame if you decide to be part of her kid's life?"

I drop my bottle on the table and lean back in my chair, running both hands through my hair. "Honestly, I don't know. She's really shy so it'll be interesting. But there's not much I can do about that, you know?"

Rosalie and Emmett have a silent conversation with their eyes before Rose turns back to me. "I gotta ask … how did you end up even sleeping with someone like that? She's not your usual style."

My fingers link together in my lap and I look down at them before I answer. "I'm not really sure. There was just something about her. I really think the better question is what was she doing with someone like me? It's clear that I'm not _her_ type." I huff out a chuckle.

"Well, she better get used to your lifestyle pretty quick, since she's gonna be thrown into it when this gets out," Em offers.

I nod but don't have anything to add. There's not much I can do about what happens from here on out, except protect Bella and Charlie as much as I can.

The waitress returns with a shot glass in her hand. "From the lady in purple at the bar," she tells me, handing me the drink.

"Uh … thanks." I turn to the bar and see a nice looking strawberry blonde wearing a skimpy purple dress. She smiles at me and holds up her own drink, so I do the same and down the shot.

The burn of the whiskey feels good going down my throat. I let out a gust of air once I've swallowed it and turn back to my friends.

"You gonna hit that?" Em asks, gesturing to the chick at the bar.

I respond with a shrug. "I guess I should go thank her for the drink."

Rose shakes her head in disapproval, but I get up and walk over to the bar anyway.

"Hey," I say, jerking my chin in the direction of the blonde. "Thanks for the drink."

"Any time, handsome," she acknowledges. "You looked a little uncomfortable over there. I thought maybe you could use some company." She places a hand on my forearm and rubs lightly.

I look her over and have to admit that she's beautiful. Her long hair is flowing in waves down to her shoulders, leading my eyes directly to a set of killer tits. The formfitting dress hugs her in all the right places, highlighting her many assets. And, with the way she's coming on to me, I know I could have her in a matter of minutes, no questions asked.

She tells me her name is Tanya, so I introduce myself while my internal war continues, even though I'm pretty sure she knows who I am. We make idle chit chat for a few minutes. Well, she does most of the talking and I pretend to listen as she yammers on about some friends she came with tonight and how she ended up in the VIP room.

With every sentence, she gets closer to me and touches me a little more. I'm definitely turned on and weighing my options. Finally, she leans in and whispers in my ear, "So, are we gonna fuck, or what?"

When she leans back, she cocks an eyebrow at me. Any thoughts of why I shouldn't be doing this fly out of my head before they can take hold, and I grab her hand, pulling her toward a dark hallway around the side of the bar.

As soon as I have her pressed up against the wall with my body leaning into hers, her mouth comes toward mine. Just before her lips meet mine, I turn my head to the side and plant my open mouth on her neck instead.

I suck, lick and use my teeth a bit until I hear her moan. My hands roam her body, starting at her waist and working their way up until my fingers are spread across her ribs with my thumbs brushing the underside of her breasts.

She quickly catches on and moves right for the button of my jeans, opening it with the swiftness of someone who knows what she wants. My right hand glides down under the hem of her dress and up to her ass, grabbing and squeezing while my left gropes at her chest. When I realize that she's not wearing any underwear, I push two fingers inside her.

She moans again before kissing my neck and tugging at my earlobe with her teeth. Her hand reaches into my pants, and she gets a good grip on my cock, giving a tug to harden me further.

I pump my fingers a few times and rub her clit with my thumb to get her ready before pulling my fingers out and spreading her wetness around.

Tanya leans into my ear and whispers, "Fuck me, Edward." She tosses a leg over my hip, opening herself up to me.

I quickly grab the condom out of my back pocket and tear it open, rolling it on with expert proficiency. I push my pants down a little further for better access and get ready to lift her body up against the wall when I suddenly decide that I don't want to do that.

Without over thinking my decision, I spin her around and plant her hands on the wall, lifting her dress up over her ass and pushing inside before I can change my mind or think about why the former position bothers me. I thrust hard and fast, letting her moans spur me on.

Although I'm hard as hell and clearly enjoying myself, something doesn't seem right. I pull her hips further away from the wall to change the angle and continue pounding into her relentlessly. She seems happy with the pace and drops one hand down to touch herself since I can't be bothered with her pleasure right now.

I feel her tighten around me and begin to spasm but I don't let up. Grabbing her hips harder, I clear my mind until I feel nothing but her grip on my dick. I let nature take over as I find my release and still inside of her.

Tanya collapses against the wall and I pull out, pulling the condom off and shoving it back in the wrapper. I quickly fix my clothes as she turns around, straightening her dress and leaning back against the wall.

I don't necessarily mean to be a dick, but I suddenly need to get out of there. "Thanks for that," I say, leaning in and kissing her cheek. With a wink, I turn around and walk away, dropping the used condom in a trash can on my way out.

Emmett and Rose are snuggled up on the couch when I make my way back to them. Emmett's got a devilish look on his face. "That was quick," he comments.

I don't even bother sitting down. "Yeah, I gotta get out of here," I tell them.

"It's still early, man," he complains. "You could hang out and go for round two later."

I guess it's good that my friends are supportive of the way I live my life, but for some reason I suddenly find it disturbing that he's encouraging my debauchery, especially when his girlfriend is sitting right next to him. "Another time. I need to call it a night."

I don't wait for a response before leaving the club and heading home alone.

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**A/N: Thanks again for reading, alerting, favoriting and reviewing. You guys are awesome! I'll post the next teaser on Tuesday on Facebook, and the next chapter will be on Wednesday.**

**Many thanks to beachcomberlc, but all mistakes are mine.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Surprise! Here's an early chapter for those of you who are still with me as a thank you to everyone who has voted for this story over on The Lemonade Stand. There's still time to vote for your five favorites!**

**I usually try not to address the plot too much in my author notes, but since there were FFN issues with the majority of reviews posting as "guest" for the last chapter, I thought I would say this here since I couldn't respond to most of you. I get that you may hate Edward right now. That's perfectly fine. It's only been a few hours since he found out that he has a child. Right or wrong, he is coping the only way he knows how. He is far from perfect and will need to learn from his mistakes. Everything in this story happens for a reason, and we will find out some of them soon and some not until later.**

**Now, if you're still with me, let's check in on our Confusedward.**

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**Chapter 9**

When my alarm buzzes on Wednesday morning, it feels as if I had just closed my eyes. I wearily make my way through my morning routine, grab some breakfast and head out to the studio. We've got a lot to get through today and not a lot of time to do it. Everything other than our music is going to have to be put out of my mind for a while.

Once I get my head in the game, we do make some good progress. We take a short break for lunch, where Aro finds us in the lounge.

"So, what's the deal with the situation from yesterday, Edward?" he asks nonchalantly.

I sigh, knowing he's probably going to want to do some damage control, or maybe even use it for publicity.

"The situation is that I have a daughter and I'm trying to figure things out with her mother. There's not much to tell right now."

"Are you going to pay her to keep it quiet?"

I know he's not trying to be an ass, but his offhanded comment still bothers me.

"There's no reason to do that. She's not looking for publicity. If anything, this will ruin her reputation more than it will impact mine. She doesn't have a clue what her life will be like with her kid growing up in the public eye, but at some point it'll all come out and she'll have no choice but to deal with it."

He appears to ponder that for a moment before responding. "Do we need to issue a press release? Maybe spin it to our advantage?"

"Look, Aro, I know you're looking out for my best interest here, but I'm also not looking to use this 'situation' for any kind of publicity. Yes, at some point, I'll have to come clean before someone spots me with a kid if I decide to be part of her life, but I don't even know if that's going to happen yet."

"So, what are you going to do?"

"I'll be sure to let you know as soon as I figure it out." I roll my eyes at him as he turns to leave the room, as if he's my top priority in this mess.

When we finish for the day, I head home and heat up some leftover Chinese food for dinner, taking it into the media room to eat. With my feet kicked up on the coffee table and my plate balanced on my lap, I enjoy another lonely meal while watching a movie.

For the first time, I realize that for a celebrity, I really live a solitary life.

When the movie ends, I decide to go online and see if there's any buzz about the new album yet. I know Aro's been putting out some promo material on it, so I'm curious to know if we're getting any positive feedback.

A quick Google search leads me to the typical paparazzi websites, and I freeze when I see one of the headlines.

"Edward Cullen Caught in the Act" is printed above a grainy picture of me with Tanya's hand on my chest as she leans into my body. The side of my face is clearly visible.

"Shit," I mutter, wondering if there are any pictures from our actual tryst.

I click on the link and scan the article.

"_A night out at the newest hotspot, Eclipse, turned into an unforgettable evening for one lucky lady. Edward Cullen was seen taking the blonde bombshell to a dark corner of the bar, and then taking more. It seems that rumors of the Breaking Dawn lead singer and guitarist's promiscuous lifestyle are not just rumors. A source tells us that the other members of Breaking Dawn, drummer Emmett McCarty and his longtime girlfriend and bass player Rosalie Hale, were also in attendance at Eclipse last night …"_

Going back to the main page, I scroll around for a little while and thankfully don't find any more pictures. Anything taken after that would have been completely indecent, so either the person is holding onto them for the right price or they didn't follow us down the hallway. Part of me wonders if Tanya did this herself—had a friend taking pictures to be able to use to her benefit later.

I groan and drop my head down onto the laptop keyboard. This shit happens all the time, but for some reason, it's bothering me more this time than it usually does.

Clearly, putting Bella and Charlie out of my head for the last twenty-four hours hasn't worked in my favor. It's time to do something I probably should have done yesterday, as soon as I found out about this situation.

I pick up my cell phone and call the one person I know that will give me some comfort and clarity.

The phone only rings once before the soft, reassuring voice answers.

"Hi, Mom. Can you come over?"

I sit with my head in my hands for the fifteen minutes it takes until I hear my front door open. My mother's heels click-clack through the foyer and down the hall, until she finds me seated at the island in the kitchen.

She immediately knows just what I need, wrapping her warm arms around me in a gentle hug.

"Thanks for coming over," I say, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Do you want some coffee?"

"Sure, if that's what it takes to get you to tell me what has my baby so upset."

I nearly cringe at the word "baby," but check my reaction before I let on any outward signs. Of course, my mother still thinks of me as her baby, and I'm not afraid to admit to being a momma's boy. She was the first person that I ever trusted and loved.

It's no secret that it took me much longer to warm up to my dad, most likely a direct result of the abuse I suffered at the hands of my biological father. My parents never hid the fact that I was adopted, and they always honestly answered every question that I had. They made adoption out to be a blessing, focusing on the fact that they wanted me and chose me, rather than the fact that someone else gave me up.

"Any fool can procreate," my mom used to say. If only she knew how true those words are now. "But it takes someone special to choose to be a parent. And, out of all the children out there that needed homes, we chose you, which makes you even more special."

I always felt wanted with Carlisle and Esme. They never made me feel like I was anything less than if I had been their own flesh and blood.

I hand my mom the cup of coffee and sit down with a sigh.

"So?" she questions with a quirk of her brow. "Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

Not even knowing where to start, I decide to take the coward's way out. I pick up the envelope I received the day before and pull out Bella's letter, handing it to her without meeting her eyes. My forehead drops into my palms while I wait for her to read it.

"Edward," she sighs, and I can't tell if it's in disappointment or resignation. "I have to ask, are you sure it's yours? I know this has happened before."

I nod, swallowing around the lump in my throat before speaking. "Yeah, let's just say that under the circumstances, I have no reason to doubt it." I don't really want to have a discussion with my mother about taking someone's virginity and broken condoms.

"Okay then," she responds with determination. "Let me see this picture of my granddaughter."

I look at her, slightly shocked that she's so willing to accept this child as her own. But not wanting to cross my mother, I quickly take the picture out of the envelope and hand it to her.

"Oh, goodness. She's so precious." After admiring the picture for a minute, she looks up at me. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know, Mom. I guess that's why I called you. You know I never wanted kids … I mean, with my history, the best thing I could probably do for this kid is to stay out of her life."

"Edward Anthony, how can you even say that?" I see the anger flash through her eyes.

"Ugh," I start, tugging my hair with both hands again. "Because you know where I came from. Why would I want to subject a child to that?" I try to check my temper, but the words are practically spit at her.

"I don't understand. What makes you think you'd be anything like your birth parents?" I try to answer her, but she cuts me off. "Are you addicted to drugs or alcohol? Do you go around hitting women or children for no reason? Have you _murdered _someone that I don't know about? Huh?"

"No, Mom, of course not. But—"

She cuts me off again. "I didn't raise you to do any of those things. The man I see before me is a good man, someone who cares enough to at least consider what is best for his child, although you're currently being foolish. I may not have always agreed with your lifestyle, but I can't force you to be in a relationship with a woman before bedding her. Regardless, that doesn't make you the heartless son of a bitch that you think you are."

Her voice softens before she continues. "Are you going to call her?"

I gulp. "I actually went to her house yesterday." Noticing my mom's shocked expression, I continue. "I guess I just wanted to find out if she wanted anything."

"And?"

I sigh again. "She says she doesn't need anything from me. She has a good job and owns her own house. Her best friend lives with her and is helping with the baby. It seems like she told the truth in her letter, that she just wanted me to know. She said that it's up to me if I want to be a part of the baby's life or not, but that I'd have to choose because she wouldn't let me hurt the kid."

Mom's eyebrows go up. "She sounds like she's got a good head on her shoulders."

I chuckle a bit. "Yeah, I guess you could say that she's not the kind of woman that I usually go after."

After a moment of silence between us, mom grabs my hand across the island. "Edward," she says softly. "How can you even think about walking away? That little girl didn't choose to be brought into this world. You need to take responsibility for your actions and be the father that she needs."

"But what if I screw it up? I don't know the first thing about raising a kid."

"Do you think your father and I knew much before you came into our lives? Because I can assure you, we didn't. But we loved you, so we figured it out along the way. I'm sure there were plenty of times that we screwed up. You don't hate us for that, do you?"

"Of course not," I assure her. "But my life is totally different. What about when I'm away for months at a time on tour? Or just out late at night with band obligations? It's not like I can be there all the time."

"You're right, but that's something you'll have to discuss with …" She consults the letter before continuing. "Bella, and work out together. I'm sure she'll be understanding. The important thing is to be there when you say you're going to be there and not make promises you can't keep.

"If you don't think you can do that, then fine, walk away and sign over your rights to the child."

I sigh in defeat. "My name's not even on the birth certificate though."

"That doesn't matter. We can easily have that taken care of." She looks at me sympathetically. "Look, I know this is a lot to take in so suddenly and you need time to absorb it. But there's a little girl out there who didn't choose who her father was, but she needs you anyway. As long as you have love to offer her, I promise you everything else will fall into place.

"If you really think you have nothing to offer—although I would completely disagree with you—then make the decision and walk away. Maybe you can at least set up a trust fund for her or something, so you'll know she's taken care of.

"But, Edward … the boy that I raised into the man before me is kindhearted and caring. You may have lived your life in a certain way up to this point, but that doesn't mean you don't have anything to offer that child."

With that said, she gets up and steps around the island, enveloping me in another hug. "Your father and I will support you in whatever you decide," she says quietly. Pulling back, she rests her hands on my cheeks, just as she did when I was a little boy. "But, don't take too long, because I don't want to miss too much time with my granddaughter."

She pats one cheek with her hand and kisses the other.

"Thanks, Mom. I love you."

"I love you, too, Edward."

She picks up her purse and leaves the house, and I'm once again left alone with my thoughts.

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**A/N: Once again, thanks for sticking with me. Hopefully I'll be able to respond to reviews for this chapter!**

**The next teaser will be posted on Fic Central on Wednesday night.**

**My awesome beta is beachcomberlc, but any mistakes are all mine.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you to everyone who has voted for Altered Measure in the poll on www dot tehlemonadestand dot net. There is still time to vote if you haven't gotten a chance. You can vote for up to five stories!**

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**Chapter 10**

I lie in bed, staring up at the ceiling for God knows how long after my mom leaves. I'm battling with myself over and over again, still feeling like it might be better for this kid if I just walk away from her, yet taking my mother's words and Bella's into consideration.

All my life, I've understood where I came from and the type of monsters that created me. Even with Carlisle and Esme raising me, I've always felt that I would be toxic to a relationship and a horrible parent given the blood that runs through my body.

But, could my mom and Bella be right? Could it be true that my genetic makeup isn't what defines me? Do I have love to offer that baby?

I pick the picture up from my nightstand and look over it once more. She's so tiny and fragile. She needs unconditional love and parents who know what they're doing. Am I capable of loving her? I have no idea.

And what about my lifestyle? I make no secret of the fact that I sleep with various women, and never do I sleep with the same one twice. Would that have to change? How about being on the road for months at a time? Will my child be able to understand why Daddy's gone so much? Would she just forget me anyway?

The easy thing would be to just walk away. Pretend this never happened. Bella insisted she'd be fine with that. Maybe someday she'd even find someone special, someone to fill in as Daddy. Would I be okay with that?

Will I always be wondering about her if I walk out of her life? The fact that I'm agonizing over this decision so much makes me think that I would. Maybe, with time, I'd forget … but right now, it doesn't feel like that would ever happen.

Without much thought behind my actions, I put the picture down and pick up my cell phone. When I slide my thumb across the screen, I realize the time. It's almost midnight.

"Shit," I mutter. I can't call now. But, maybe a text message wouldn't hurt?

_Are you awake by any chance? – Edward_

The response comes faster than I expected.

_Yes, just finished nursing Charlie. – Bella_

_Can you call me? – E_

Instead of getting a text response, my phone rings a minute later.

"Hi," I say, somewhat embarrassed that I've bothered her.

"Is everything okay?" she asks.

"Yeah … I just … I don't know what I'm doing."

I hear her muffled chuckle come through the line. "Edward, do you really think that I know what I'm doing? I've got no more experience at this than you do, and I didn't even have a mother around to set an example."

I sigh, thinking about that for a minute. She's right; even though I had monsters for birth parents, I had two wonderful people in my life to teach me what a parent should be. And more than that, they're still here, and they'd be more than willing to help.

She must mistake my silence for disagreement, because she continues on. "Look, Edward, this isn't a decision you have to make overnight. You can take all the time you need to think about it, so you can be sure you're doing what's right for you."

"I guess …" I huff out a breath. "I mean, I should be thinking about what's right for her, right?"

"You should be, but from what little I know of you, it seems like you're battling over your own issues."

"Yeah," I agree. "Can I … uh, can I see her again?"

"Of course."

I finally get some sleep that night, but it's restless and plagued by nightmares. The dreams started out fine, watching visions of my daughter growing up, seeing her happy and healthy. But then they changed. There was someone else in the visions—another man. A man who was taking my place.

I could never see his face, but he was always there. He was holding Charlie's hands and helping her walk on wobbly toddler legs. He hugged her tiny form before watching her get on a school bus. He sat in the audience at her dance recital and cheered the loudest.

If I really want to walk away from this kid, then I don't think I would be calling this a nightmare. I'd view it as my child growing up with a dad that wants her and supports her. It would be something to be happy about.

Somehow, as I rub my tired eyes, I realize this is my conscience's way of showing me exactly what I need to do. Like my mother said, I need to "man up" and be the father that she needs.

It won't be easy. I can't fool myself into thinking that. There will have to be changes in my life, and I'm guessing some sacrifices also. But, I know it's the right thing to do.

Bella's all alone, with no family to support her or spoil Charlie. At least if I stick around, she not only has a father, but also two loving grandparents who will dote on her at every available opportunity. Yes, there's plenty I can offer her.

We work our way through lunch in the studio today, ending the day by two o'clock, which is perfect since I told Bella I'd go to the doctor with her and Charlie this afternoon.

When I asked last night if I could see Charlie again, Bella told me about the appointment and then said I could come over when they got home. I don't know what made me do it, but I suggested instead that I take them to the appointment, knowing that she's not allowed to drive yet.

I arrive at their house around two thirty and knock on the door. Alice answers quickly, and greets me with a smile this time.

"How are you, Edward?"

"I'm okay," I respond, forcing a smile her way and stepping inside. "How about you?"

"I'm good. I'm actually glad you're able to take Bella and Charlie today." She closes the door behind me. "I need to run over to my office and I didn't want to leave them alone this morning, so this will give me some time to do that."

"Yeah, uh …" I stammer. "She shouldn't have to depend on you for everything. I'm going to talk to her later, and I'll make sure she knows that I can help out."

"It's okay. I really don't mind. I just didn't want to leave them alone while Bella can't go up and down the stairs too much. It won't always be like this."

"I know, but still …"

Thankfully, we're interrupted by Bella walking down the stairs with Charlie in her arms.

"Alice, would you mind grabbing the … Oh, Edward. I didn't hear you come in."

"Hi, yeah … I just got here."

"Do you need me to get the diaper bag, Bella?" Alice asks.

"Please, if you wouldn't mind."

Alice disappears up the stairs, leaving Bella and me in an awkward silence.

"Did you get any sleep last night?" I finally ask her.

"Yeah, some," she responds just as awkwardly. "Charlie seems to prefer being awake during the night."

I smile sympathetically at her. I can't even imagine what she's been dealing with lately, her entire world turned upside down.

"Can I … uh … do you need help with anything?"

"Can you hold her for a minute while I grab a bottle of water?"

I nod reluctantly, but I know I'll need to start getting used to this if I'm going to actually make this work. Carefully, I take the baby—my daughter—from Bella's arms and hold her securely to my body. She feels so fragile. I'm afraid I'll break her.

Bella walks away, leaving me alone with Charlie. I take a seat on the couch where I sat the other day and look down at the tiny bundle in my arms. Her eyes flutter open and look up at me, and I'm amazed when I see they're the same pale bluish green as my eyes. I don't know why, but I expected them to be darker, eventually turning to the same brown as Bella's.

Alice comes back into the room and drops the diaper bag by the door, along with a car seat carrier. She calls out to Bella in the kitchen. "Bella, I'm off. I should be back by the time you get home though."

I hear Bella's responding "okay" before Alice bounds over to me and looks lovingly at Charlie.

"Be a good girl today. Aunt Alice will be home soon. I love you," she says, leaning over and planting a kiss on Charlie's forehead. "Bye, Edward."

She's out the door before I can even process what just happened. How is it so easy for everyone else to love this baby with no reservations, when here I am, struggling just to hold her?

Her bright eyes are still looking around, taking in her surroundings. I lift my hand to fix the zipper at her chest, and am surprised when her tiny fist grabs onto my finger and holds tightly.

"Whatcha doing there, little one?" I ask her quietly. "That's quite a grip. Maybe someday you can hold a guitar with those hands, huh?"

A throat clearing draws my attention to Bella standing in the doorway. I smile at her nervously.

"Let me just put her in her car seat, and then we can go," she tells me.

I watch in awe as Bella puts Charlie in the seat and does up all of the buckles and latches, then zips a covering over her so only her head is left showing.

"Do you mind driving my car?" Bella asks. "The car seat latches onto a base that's already installed in there."

"Yeah, that's fine."

We get into the car after Bella snaps the baby's seat into place, and then she tells me where we're going. My face nearly pales when I hear her say Great Kids Pediatrics.

"Um … I don't need directions," I tell her, still trying to get my bearings. "Maybe before we get there, we should discuss whether you want people to know that this is my kid or not." I try to keep my eyes on the road while I wait for her response.

"What do you mean? Why would going to the doctor have anything to do with people knowing that she's your daughter?"

"Who's her doctor, Bella?"

"Dr. Cul—" She cuts herself off and then looks at me. "Oh, wow. I never even thought about it. He introduced himself as Carlisle."

"Yeah," I sigh. "That's my dad. I'm sure he already knows about Charlie since I told my mom last night, but once I walk in there, the entire office staff will know, not to mention any patients in the waiting room. I mean, there are HIPAA laws and stuff, so it's not like they can really say anything to the press, but all it takes is one leak and your baby will be famous."

"Our baby," she corrects.

"Our baby," I agree, nodding. "I was going to talk to you about everything after the appointment, because I'm sure there's a lot we need to discuss, but I want you to know that I'm going to take responsibility … I mean, I'm going to be there for her, and for you. Let me—hang on."

I pull out my Bluetooth while we're at a red light and call my dad's office.

"Hi, Gianna. It's Edward. Can you get me through to my dad? It's kind of important … yeah, thanks."

I glance at Bella while I wait for my dad to pick up. She's biting her lip and looks rather nervous.

"Edward? Is everything okay?" my dad says.

"Yeah, Dad. Uh, did Mom tell you what was going on last night?"

"Yes, she did. I figured we'd talk later, once you figured out what you wanted to do."

"Well, I did figure it out, and I'm actually on my way to your office right now." I turn and smile at Bella. "Your granddaughter is your three o'clock."

"Charlie Swan?" he asks, somewhat stunned.

"Yeah. Listen, can you have someone meet us at the employee entrance so we don't have to go through the waiting room? I know your staff won't say anything, but I don't want to take a chance with another patient. Bella and I haven't really had a chance to discuss all the publicity and stuff yet."

"Of course, Son. I'll have Gianna meet you and take you right to an exam room."

"Thanks, Dad. We'll be there in about five minutes or so."

"Wow," Bella says as soon as I hang up. "I never really thought about all that stuff."

Without even thinking, I take hold of her hand and squeeze it. "We'll figure it out."

Gianna meets us at the locked employee entrance and lets us in, showing us directly to the exam room as my father promised. She doesn't make any comments about me showing up with a baby, for which I'm thankful. Gianna's been my dad's receptionist for as long as I can remember, and she's practically family so I'm not worried about her telling anyone.

Dad comes in only a few minutes later, and Bella already has Charlie stripped down to her diaper. I guess she knows the routine.

"Bella, it's good to see you and Charlie again," Dad says before turning to me. "And, Edward. Looks like I met my granddaughter before you did." He chuckles a bit before getting down to business.

He goes over various things, taking Charlie's weight and some measurements, talking to Bella about how she's been doing. I watch Bella throughout the appointment and realize that she seems more shy than usual. I wonder if the fact that this is my father is making her nervous, and resolve to talk to her about it later.

Finally, Dad takes out something that reminds me of the flashy-thingy from _Men in Black_ and puts it over Charlie's forehead. After looking at the reading, he tells Bella that the jaundice has cleared up. Bella looks relieved at that, although I still don't really know what it means.

"So, no more sunbathing?" Bella asks.

"Well, it won't hurt anything, but no, she doesn't need it unless you notice her skin or the whites of her eyes looking yellow. She's now two ounces over her birth weight, which for nine days old is very good. It seems like nursing is working out well for both of you, so I'd keep that up as long as you're able. I'm just going to get the immunization that she's due for today. I think you know the drill."

He steps out of the room and I watch as Bella shifts her shirt around. My eyes go wide as I realize that she's unlatching her bra and getting ready to nurse Charlie.

"Uh, do you want me to leave?" I ask, unsure of her comfort level with me in the room.

She looks at me as if she had forgotten I was there. "Could you maybe just turn around until I get her settled?" she asks. I do as requested. "Nursing helps keep her calm while she gets a shot," she says when I turn back around.

"Oh, okay." I'm still rather dumbfounded, but I watch in awe as Charlie sucks away. I can only see her face and a bit of Bella's skin. I take a seat next to Bella, watching as Charlie's tiny hand comes up and rests on Bella's chest. I reach out and stroke it gently. "That's … wow, that's pretty amazing."

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**A/N: Thanks for sticking with me! Daddyward isn't in the clear yet, but at least he knows what he wants.**

**As always, my beta beachcomberlc makes this better, but all mistakes are mine.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Happy birthday Sherry!**

**Chapter 11**

When I park Bella's car in front of her house, I get out and help her with the diaper bag while she takes Charlie's car seat out of the back.

"Is it okay if I come in for a little while?" I ask, making sure she's not too tired after the doctor's appointment.

"Uh, yeah, I guess," she responds, closing the door and starting to walk toward the house.

"If you're too tired, I'll understand," I offer. I know we need to talk, but I guess part of me is hoping to put it off for a little while longer.

"It's fine, Edward." She unlocks the door and lets us in. "Would you mind getting her out of the car seat? I want to go grab a snack. Do you want anything?"

"No, I'm good."

I take off my jacket, squatting down in front of Charlie and unzipping the cover over the seat. Okay, that part is easy enough to figure out, but the rest of this contraption looks like a Chinese torture device. I press buttons and pull on latches until the straps finally come loose, and then I realize that I need to lift her out. Charlie is once again looking at me, and it's making me nervous.

"Sorry, kid," I tell her nervously. "I have no idea what I'm doing, so bear with me." I stick my hands under her armpits and wiggle them up so her head is resting on my fingers, hoping I'm doing it right. She whines a little when I start to lift her, and I realize that one of her arms is still caught in the strap. As soon as I free her arm, she quiets down and nestles into my chest.

Still nervous about holding her, I walk into the kitchen, intent on handing her over to Bella. But Bella's busy spreading some cream cheese on a bagel. With a deep breath, I sit down across from her, keeping Charlie safely in my lap.

"So, you've obviously met my dad," I say with a chuckle. "Mom's gonna be pissed." I'm trying to break the ice, but I can see the change in Bella's features, and she's clearly uncomfortable.

"Yeah, that was a little awkward. I mean, what must he think of me?"

I let out a sigh and run the hand that's not holding Charlie through my hair. "If anything, Bella, he's judging me, not you."

She quirks her eyebrow at me as if to ask "really?"

"He knows I've not always been a gentleman, for lack of a better term," I admit. "And, he's never minced words about how he feels about my lifestyle. Trust me, it's me he's disappointed in. But that doesn't mean he won't love Charlie, because I assure you, he will."

She looks slightly angry when she responds. "If he knows all about your lifestyle, then he's probably already formed an opinion of me, when it couldn't be further from the truth. Ugh, your father's the best pediatrician in the state—believe me, I checked—and now he probably thinks I'm just another one of your sluts." She's practically yelling by the time she's done.

I know that was an insult directed at me, but I can't deny it. Before I can even formulate a response, she goes on.

"God, the one time I take a risk, do something different, look what happens. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade Charlie for the world, but now I'm going to be branded as a whore!"

And, this is exactly what I was afraid of.

"This is why we need to talk about this, Bella," I say gently, trying to calm her down. "Unfortunately, I'm not some random guy. My life is in the spotlight, regardless of how many women I do or don't fuck." She flinches at my vulgarity, but it's the truth. "And, people are going to print stories about me whether they're true or not. They're going to snap my picture whenever I'm out in public, even when I don't want them to, and it ends up all over Twitter in minutes.

"If you don't want this for Charlie, if you want me to stay away, I'll understand. I mean, I want to be here, but if it would be better that I'm not …" I trail off, shrugging.

Bella huffs, looking down at her untouched bagel. "I don't know. I don't want her to be some dirty little secret, you know? But I also don't want her picture all over the tabloids as some kind of curiosity, either."

I take her hand across the table. "She won't be a dirty little secret, I can promise you that. I'm not ashamed of her. My father's already met her, and my mother would be here in ten minutes if I called her right now. She'll be loved. But, I can't promise that you or Charlie will have any privacy once people find out. I'm willing to come up with some kind of cover story if it helps. Maybe we can say we dated for a while but broke up? I don't know."

Bella sighs again but laces her fingers through mine. "No, I don't want to lie. Someday, Charlie'll want to know about this, and I don't want to say that we had to lie about where she came from. I guess we'll all just have to live with the consequences."

"Are you sure?" I ask. "Because I want to do the right thing here. And if the right thing is walking away so she can have a better life …" I look down at the baby in my lap, unsure if I really could walk away now.

"No, Edward. If she has a father that's willing to love her, then we'll work around everything else."

I let out a breath and give her a nod. "Eat," I tell her, pulling my hand back and feeling the loss immediately. "She's asleep. Should I take her upstairs?"

"Um, no. Can you just put her in the swing in the living room? That way I can stay downstairs for a little while. You have to buckle the straps when you put her in."

I nod and take Charlie into the living room, looking at the swing like it's going to bite me. I have no idea how these things work. I place Charlie in the seat and pull the buckles out, carefully attaching them around her waist and praying that I got it right.

Walking back into the kitchen, I take my seat across from Bella and watch her eat for a few minutes. When she's finished the last of her bagel, I figure it's time to get back to our conversation.

"So, I'm not really sure how this is all going to work," I offer. "I mean, I'm in the studio right now, but eventually we'll start back up with promos and touring."

Bella shrugs and doesn't say anything for a minute. When she finally does speak, I'm somewhat surprised by her comment. "Well, whenever you can be here is okay."

"Okay," I respond, drawing the word out slightly. "I don't want to get in your way or anything, so do we need to set up a schedule or something?"

"Probably at some point, but not right now. I mean, she doesn't really have much of a schedule yet."

After another moment of silence, I decide to approach another important topic. "Um, I was just thinking, when we talked about the publicity and stuff … uh, it might be a good idea for you to get a security system for the house."

"Okay."

"I'll pay for it, of course."

Bella looks at me with furrowed brows. "You don't need to do that."

"Yeah, I do. I mean, any issue is going to be because of me, and this way I can contribute to protecting her."

She sighs but relents. "If that's what you want, I'm not gonna argue with you. But I wasn't kidding when I said I can take care of her without you."

"I believe you, Bella. But, you know, I wanna help. At the moment, it seems like this is the only way that I can, so …" I shrug.

"Yeah, I guess," she agrees. "It's not like I can pass her off to you to feed her or anything. Although, maybe you should learn how to change a diaper." She gets a wicked smile on her face.

I chuckle in response. "If you're willing to teach me, then I'm all for it."

Bella puts her dishes in the dishwasher and then I follow her into the living room so we can get more comfortable. As soon as I sit down, my phone starts buzzing. I sigh when I pull it out and see that it's my mom.

"Hi, Mom," I answer quietly so I don't wake Charlie.

"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, how could you let your father meet that precious girl before I did?" she yells.

I see Bella looking at me and stifling a laugh, no doubt able to hear my mother's words.

"Sorry, Mom. It just sorta happened. I drove Bella to her appointment today and realized that Dad was her doctor on the way there."

"Well, when do I get to meet her?"

I sigh again, glancing at Bella quickly. "I don't know. Bella and I are just talking and trying to work some stuff out. Maybe we can set something up for next week?" I ask, hopefully putting this off for a few days.

"Next week?" she shouts. "Edward, if you're really going to take responsibility, then I want to meet my granddaughter!"

"Um, can I talk to Bella and get back to you? I don't want to overwhelm her right now."

She sighs and then offers her own solution. "How about you invite her over for dinner tomorrow night?"

"Sure, Mom. I'll see what she says. I'll call you later."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you, too."

I end the call and look at Bella, who's trying to suppress a grin. "Yeah, that was my mother." I gesture unnecessarily at the phone.

"I gathered that."

"She's kinda mad that she hasn't met Charlie yet. Uh, do you want to come to her house for dinner tomorrow night?"

"Do you think that would cause any problems?" she asks.

"It should be fine. My parents live in a gated community like mine, so we don't have issues with privacy there. But if you're concerned—"

She cuts me off. "No, it's fine. I'm just gonna have to take your lead on stuff like that because I have no idea."

I nod. "Okay. Do you want me to pick you up? Or, Alice can come, too, if you want."

Speaking of the devil, the front door opens and Alice waltzes in. "Sorry I took so long," she announces before her eyes land on me. "Oh, I didn't think you'd still be here."

"Yeah, we were just chatting for a bit," I tell her.

"Okay, well I'll just get out of your way."

"Wait, Alice," Bella says, stopping her in her tracks. "I'm gonna go to Edward's parents' house for dinner tomorrow with Charlie to meet them. Well, to meet his mom, since it turns out his dad is Dr. Carlisle."

"No shit!" Alice interrupts. "He never uses his last name. I totally forgot it was Cullen!"

"Yeah, small world," I offer.

"Anyway, do you want to come with us to dinner?" Bella asks.

"You probably need me to drive you, right?"

"Edward offered to pick us up if you can't go," Bella says, shrugging. "But you can come if you want."

Alice ponders it for a moment. "If you don't mind, maybe I'll go another time?" Bella nods. "Okay, I have some work to get done, so I'll see you in a little bit."

When she's out of sight, I turn to Bella. "She's got her own life to get back to, huh?"

"Yeah," she admits. "She's a great help, and I know she'll be there for me whenever I need her, but it's not fair of me to depend on her for everything."

I scoot over on the couch and get closer to her, putting my arm around her shoulders and pulling her in. "Well, you can depend on me now."

She looks up at me and smiles in thanks.

"But," I add quickly. "You're gonna have to tell me where to get one of those car seat thingies for my car so I don't have to drive yours around everywhere."

"Deal."

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**A/N: You guys are the best! There were more FFN problems the last few days, but I think I was eventually able to reply to all reviews. If I missed yours, I'm sorry. As a side note, I now have a profile on Fiction Pad. I'm only using it as a backup right now. I plan to keep all of my stories on FFN. But if there are ever issues here, you can also find me there.**

**Thanks again to beachcomberlc, but I like to tweak so all mistakes are mine.**


	12. Chapter 12

**FFN alerts were screwy on Monday when I posted the last chapter (mine ended up in my spam box) so please make sure you've read chapter 11 before reading this one.**

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**Chapter 12**

Before I leave Bella's house, I assure her I will take care of having a security system installed the next day. She says she'll ask Alice to pick up a car seat base for my car so we can install it when I pick her up for dinner the next night.

When I get home and think back over the day, I'm surprised at how quickly I have accepted all of this and started planning my life around it. Although I don't really feel very secure with Charlie yet, I somehow feel secure about the situation.

It will be tough to make it work, but I'm determined to be a better father than my birth father was. This may not be how I planned for my life to go, but I'm accepting this alteration and dealing with it the best I can.

I sleep better that night than I did the previous night, with no nightmares about someone else raising my child. I must have been dreaming about something good though, because my morning wood is more persistent than usual. I have a fleeting vision of a petite brunette running through my head, but it's gone before I can put a face to it.

Recording goes well the next day. It looks like we'll be able to finish up the album soon and then promos will start once it's perfected and produced.

I get to Bella's house a little early, making sure I have enough time to check the security system before we have to go to my parents' house.

"Hey," she greets me at the door, but her tone is slightly clipped. "Come on in."

"Thanks," I say, stepping into the living room. "Did everything go okay with the installation today?"

"It was fine. The guys were very professional and didn't make a mess. They showed me how to use everything, so I'm all set."

"Good," I say with a nod.

"Do you want to put the car seat base in your car now?" She gestures to a box that's sitting on the floor.

"Uh …" I look at it, wondering how long it will take me to figure out how to strap the thing in properly.

Bella huffs quietly. "Do you want me to install it?"

"Do you know how?"

"Yes," she says. "It'll only take a few minutes, if you want to stay inside with Charlie while I do it." I'm not sure what's up with her change in attitude, but clearly something's going on.

"Sure," I agree, seeing Charlie sleeping in the swing.

I take a seat and pull out my phone while Bella takes the base out to my car. I send a quick text to my mom to let her know that we'll be leaving in a few minutes. While I'm waiting for Bella, Charlie starts making some noise.

I walk over to the swing and squat down in front of it, watching her, unsure if I need to do anything. She squirms a bit and then starts crying. I put my hand on her belly and make some shushing sounds, but her cries continue to get louder. I look around, thinking maybe Bella will hear her and come inside. When the crying doesn't show any signs of letting up, I decide I better pick her up.

I unlatch the buckles on the swing and pull her out of the seat, holding her body upright against my chest while I try to soothe her. She keeps screaming and squirming in my arms, so I start to walk around with her. When that doesn't work, I do the only other thing I know how to do; I sing.

I'll be the first to admit that I don't know any kids songs. I'm sure I knew some when I was a kid, but they all escape me at the moment. Instead, I sing one of the songs we just recorded, softening the tone and keeping my voice low.

Amazingly, it works.

The squirming stops and the crying quiets down. I don't know if it's in response to the singing or just the vibrations of her head on my chest. Either way, I'm glad I am able to do something.

I make another pass across the living room and turn toward the foyer to repeat it when I notice Bella standing just inside the door. She's watching us intently with a look that I can't decipher on her face.

"She … uh … started screaming and I didn't know what to do," I offer with a lift of one shoulder.

"It looks like you knew exactly what to do," she replies. She watches for another moment before walking toward us and offering to take Charlie from me. "She's probably getting hungry anyway, so I may as well feed her before we go."

I turn away to let her get settled and then sit next to her on the couch once she's covered up. I really do try not to stare as Bella nurses Charlie, but for some reason I find it fascinating. Bella doesn't seem to mind that I'm watching and actually chats with me while we wait.

On the drive to my parents' house, I try to learn more about Bella but she doesn't give me much to go on. It seems odd that she was so open with me the first day I came over, and suddenly she's very closed off about her personal life. I ask her about where she grew up and her answers are clipped and her tone tells me that the subject is not open for discussion.

I try to shrug it off, but I can't help wondering if I've done something to offend her. I was only trying to get to know her because we'll need to at least be friendly if we're going to be parents together.

Bella carries Charlie in her car seat while I carry the diaper bag into the house. I can tell Bella feels uncomfortable as she lags behind me when we walk through the door, but Mom isn't having any of that.

She rushes out to meet us in the foyer, gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and then all but pushes me out of the way. "You must be Bella," she says sweetly.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Cullen," Bella responds coolly. I know Bella's shy, but this doesn't seem like her at all.

"Oh, none of that. Just call me Esme." Mom envelops Bella in a hug, which clearly catches Bella off guard.

"Let me …" I say, dropping the diaper bag and quickly taking the car seat from Bella. I put it on the floor and immediately start digging Charlie out of the layers and straps, feeling rather accomplished when I do it without hurting her this time.

"And, this must be Charlie," Mom gushes once she releases Bella. "Edward, let me hold my granddaughter."

I pass the baby over to Mom, who expertly holds her and starts walking away. I shoot Bella a look, trying to ask if she's okay, and she only responds with a forced smile.

When I see that Mom has taken Charlie into the living room and is sitting with her on her lap, cooing like a doting grandmother, I approach Bella.

"Are you okay?" I ask her quietly.

She doesn't respond at first and I'm starting to get worried. Finally, she says, "Yeah, I'm fine."

I wrap my arms around her and pull her into my chest, but her body is stiff. "Bella, if this is too much for you, tell me and I'll take you both home right now. If you're not feeling up to it, we can do it another time."

I think I hear her sniffle before she composes herself and pushes away from me. "No, it's fine. We're already here. Another time won't make a difference."

I'm about to ask her what she means when Mom interrupts. "Come sit down, you two. Dad will be home shortly." Bella immediately turns and walks toward my mom, leaving me still wondering what the hell is going on.

From that point on, Bella acts pleasant enough to my parents, and of course they are warm and friendly to her. Mom hogs the baby, insisting that Bella take the time to enjoy a good dinner while she can. She engages Bella in conversation, but seems to know when to back off and focus back on Charlie.

Bella excuses herself once toward the end of the meal to nurse Charlie, and I take her upstairs to my old bedroom so she can have some privacy. Part of me wants to stay with her, and I really don't know why. Regardless, I back out of the room and close the door, sighing once I'm alone in the hallway.

I slump down against the wall across from my bedroom door.

I'm concerned about her, plain and simple. I don't know what's wrong with her, but whatever it is, I want to make it better.

But the worst part is that I know I'm not supposed to care.

She's the mother of my child and nothing more. Sure, I should care about her wellbeing, but I should mostly just care about Charlie. The crazy thing is that in any other situation, Bella's not the type of woman I would even be friendly with.

So why do I care so much?

I still don't have an answer for that by the time Bella and Charlie emerge from my bedroom. Bella looks at me before leaning back against the wall across from me with a sleeping Charlie in her arms.

"You didn't have to wait for me," she says quietly.

"I know. I'm sorry. I was just worried about you."

She bites her bottom lip and looks down, caressing Charlie's cheek. "I'm fine," she retorts.

"Yeah … sure. Let's just get back downstairs." I push off the floor and walk down the hallway, not even waiting to see if Bella's following.

Without a word, I sit back down at the table and take a bite of my now cold dinner. I can feel that both of my parents are looking at me, but I focus on my food and try to get through the rest of the night.

Bella enters the dining room a few minutes after me. My dad immediately offers to take Charlie so she can finish eating, but she insists that she's had enough. When Mom offers dessert, Bella actually says that she's tired, thanking my parents politely for their hospitality, so we gather our things and get ready to leave.

"Bella, would you mind if I get your phone number from Edward?" Mom asks when we're saying goodbye. "I'd really like to be able to keep in touch. Maybe I could stop by and see you and Charlie every now and then? Bring some lunch?"

"Sure, Esme. That would be nice."

We make our way back into the car and head off to Bella's house. The drive is almost completely silent, other than me making sure Bella's warm enough and her responding with a quick nod.

I carry the diaper bag up to the door for her, but she doesn't invite me in. I follow her inside anyway, telling myself that I just need to make sure she gets situated.

She starts taking Charlie out of the seat while I just stand there, unsure of what to do. The words fly out of my mouth before I even think about them. "Are you going to tell me what I did wrong?"

Bella glares at me from where she's hunched over Charlie's car seat on the couch, letting out a huff before turning her attention back to Charlie without answering me. She gathers the baby in her arms and storms off toward a room I haven't been in yet. It looks like a den, but there's an office space in there also.

After placing Charlie in a playpen, she silently walks over to the desk, opens a drawer and pulls out a piece of paper that's folded in half. Slamming it down on the desk, she looks at me with pure hatred in her eyes.

"You want to know what you did?" she asks with an eerie calmness in her voice. "Or, maybe I should say 'who' you did."

I walk toward her without taking my eyes off of hers until I'm right in front of her. Taking the paper from under her hand, I unfold it and see the picture of the chick from Eclipse and me, with the same article I read printed underneath it.

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**A/N: We all knew it was going to get back to her eventually!**

**The TwiFic Fandom Awards blog is up and running. Check it out and nominate your favorite author or story. twificfandomawards dot blogspot dot com**

**Thanks again for all of your reviews. I love them all and always try to respond, so please make sure you're logged in (I'm looking at you, Deia!). The next teaser will post tonight on Fic Central, and I'll post the link tonight or tomorrow on Twitter and Facebook.**

**A million thanks to my beta, beachcomberlc, for reminding me of how much C-section recovery hurts (I have no idea how I could have forgotten) and not letting me get away with having Bella squat down on the floor or move too quickly. As always, all mistakes are mine.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Altered Measure made the top five on The Lemonade Stand! You guys are the best!**

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**Chapter 13**

I can feel my anger rising as I look up from the article and meet Bella's furious eyes.

"This is why you've been acting like a bitch since I got here?" I ask her.

"A bitch?" she repeats, her eyes widening.

"Jesus, Bella. I thought I did something wrong with Charlie, or did something to you. What the hell?" Is she really pissed that my personal life ended up in the tabloids?

"You don't think you did anything to hurt Charlie," she states somewhat calmly. "I can't fucking believe you." Whoa, where did that come from? I think that's the first time I've heard her curse. "You pretend to care about her safety, insisting on paying for a state of the art security system, and all the while you're out drawing more negative attention to yourself."

She sits down on the couch with a huff, holding her stomach.

"Bella," I start, trying to keep my cool. "I warned you that my personal life is not private. I can't keep shit like this from happening." I wave the paper around to make my point.

She glares at me. "You can't keep it from happening?" she yells. "How about trying to keep it in your pants for once? I know I was just a 'fuck' to you, as you so pleasantly put it the other day, but for Charlie's sake, don't you think you can try to keep this behind closed doors?"

I take a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself down. "I knew this was going to happen. You want me to change my life for you, don't you? Well, let me tell you something, Bella. How I live my life has nothing to do with you or Charlie."

"Like hell it doesn't! I already had to hear about this from Alice, who all of a sudden is trying to tell me I need to be careful about letting you around my daughter. How much worse is it going to get once the whole world knows she's yours?"

"It's none of Alice's goddamn business," I say through gritted teeth. "Or yours either, for that matter."

"None of my business?" she asks, stunned.

"That's right," I tell her. "My life is my business."

She shakes her head. "You have no clue. Everything—and I mean _everything_—you do will have an effect on Charlie, which in turn affects me. I couldn't care less who you're _fucking_, Edward. Just keep it to yourself."

"You are _not_ going to tell me how to live my life," I say, feeling my anger rising. I knew I'd have to make some sacrifices, but I will not stand here and let some _nobody_ tell me what I can and can't do.

"Then you are _not_ going to be part of _her_ life," she yells, pointing to the playpen where Charlie is still sleeping.

"Oh, so just because you're not getting any, I can't either?" I retort sarcastically.

Bella's face turns red as she clenches her jaw. She stands up quickly, clutching her stomach again. "Get out of my house," she says coolly.

"Are you okay?"

"I said get out!" she yells.

"Yeah, sure. Fine," I agree for now. "But you won't keep me away from my daughter."

I turn on my heel and head for the door, but I catch her parting shot. "We'll see about that."

Getting into the car, I wonder what the hell just happened.

I start the car and begin the twenty minute drive to my house in Bellevue, thinking about Bella's demand. I knew I would have to make changes in my life, but I was thinking more along the lines of not going out every weekend or childproofing my house.

I can't believe that Bella would expect me to stay out of the public eye. It just doesn't work that way.

Can she really keep me from seeing Charlie? I have no clue, but my first order of business tomorrow morning will be to call my lawyer.

Part of me wants to head out to a club tonight and pick up a random chick, just to piss Bella off. But, I know I tend to make stupid mistakes when I'm upset, so I decide against the idea. The last thing I need right now would be to end up wasted and spilling my guts about my problems to some woman who would sell the story for the highest price.

As soon as I wake up and down a cup of coffee on Saturday morning, I call Jenks, not caring that it's the weekend. I pay him enough that he's happy to be at my beck and call whenever I need him.

"Since you're calling on a Saturday morning, I suppose this isn't a friendly call," he answers in lieu of a greeting. Jason Jenks has been my lawyer for the seven years that I've been in the band. He's a friend of my father, and the best at what he does.

"Unfortunately, you're right about that, Jenks," I respond with a sigh.

"Tell me what's going on, Edward."

I plop down on the couch, debating on where to start. "I just found out a few days ago that I have a daughter."

"Are you sure about this one?" he interrupts, having handled the two previous claims against me.

"Yeah, this time I'm sure. To make a long story short, I told Bella—the mother—that I would take responsibility. She didn't want money or anything, said she just wanted me to know I had a kid, and if I wanted to be part of her life, I could.

"Apparently, that didn't last very long, because at the first sign of my typical behavior, she tells me that if I don't change, I can't be in Charlie's life. The baby's not even two weeks old and already she wants me gone. So, I need to know what I have to do to make sure she can't do that to me."

Jenks lets out a deep breath. "I'll have to look into this before I can give you anything solid, but my first question is whether or not your name is on the birth certificate."

"No, it's not."

"Okay, you'll probably need to have a DNA test run on both you and the baby to confirm your paternity, and then we can file papers to have her birth certificate amended. I'm pretty sure we can't fight for any kind of custody until that's done."

He pauses before continuing. "Do you think the mother will go for that? Or will I have to file a petition with the court?"

"At this point, I honestly don't know." I run a hand through my hair in frustration. If this was two days ago, I'm sure Bella would have had no problem agreeing to that. "Do you think my dad could run the tests? That might make things easier since he's already Charlie's pediatrician."

"I'm not sure, but you can ask him. Let me look into this a little more and I'll get back to you."

"Thanks, Jenks. Sorry to ruin your Saturday."

"That's why you pay me the big bucks, Edward."

As soon as I hang up with Jenks, I call my dad.

"Good morning, Edward," he answers.

"Hi, Dad. Hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Not at all, Son. What can I do for you?"

I grab the back of my neck before spitting out what I need to ask him. "Can you do a DNA test on Charlie and me?"

He lets out a chuckle. "Anyone can see that she's yours, Edward."

I huff into the phone. "I know that, but Jenks said I need a DNA test to get my name on the birth certificate."

"Oh, well sure, we can do that in my office. Why don't you come with Bella to Charlie's next appointment?"

I bang my head against the wall behind the couch. I was hoping to avoid explaining the situation to my dad, but I guess I'm going to have to bite the bullet. "I'm not so sure Bella will allow that right now."

"Why not?"

"We had a bit of a fight last night after leaving your house, and she threatened to not let me see Charlie," I state matter-of-factly.

"What did you do, Edward?" he asks with a resigned sigh.

"I'd rather not get into it right now, if that's okay. I just want to try to figure out how to take care of all of this."

"Well, might I suggest starting with an apology?"

"It's not that easy, Dad. But no matter what, Jenks said I need the DNA test to get my name on the birth certificate."

"Unfortunately, I can't do the DNA test without Bella's permission or a court order, so you'll have to find a way to convince Bella to let me do it, or have Jenks file a petition. My suggestion would be to smooth things over with Bella, because you're going to be parenting with her for the next eighteen years or more. You really don't want to have to go through lawyers for everything."

"Yeah, I know. I'll get back to you on the test."

I slam my phone down on the coffee table and throw myself back into the couch with a huff. Nothing about this situation is going to be easy. I know I pissed Bella off last night and she's likely to make my life difficult just when I was willing to take some responsibility, but she can't expect me to give up the only way I know how to live my life.

Dragging myself into the kitchen ten minutes later, I pour another cup of coffee just as my cell phone rings. I shouldn't be surprised to hear my mother's ring tone.

"Hi, Mom."

"Edward, what the hell did you do to that girl?" she asks, surprising me with her mild curse and angry tone.

"Why do you immediately assume that I did something wrong?"

"Well, did you?"

"We had a disagreement, Mom. It just blew up from there," I explain.

"You better find a way to make this right. I don't want to be cut out of my granddaughter's life when I've only just met her."

"Do you think I want this, either? I already spoke to Jenks, and he's working on figuring out what I need to do to get some kind of custody arrangement."

"Is that what you really want? A custody arrangement?"

"Not really, but Bella didn't really leave me much of a choice, threatening to not let me see Charlie," I tell her.

"I think you need to find a way to work things out with Bella," she responds. "Being on good terms with her is the best way to go about this."

"I know," I admit with a sigh. "I'm just not sure that's possible. We're kind of at an impasse."

"What could you and that sweet girl have possibly argued about that would make things this bad so quickly?"

I bite the inside of my lip before responding. "She wants me to change who I am," I say simply.

There's silence on the line for a moment before Mom speaks again. "Edward, you do realize that a lot of things are going to have to change with a child in the picture, don't you?"

"Ugh!" I cry out. "Yes, I realize that things will have to change, but I'm not prepared to completely give up who I am for her!"

"Who are you giving things up for? Bella, or Charlie?"

My mother's question makes me pause. It's Bella who is asking me to change, but is the change really for her? Technically, no.

Sighing again, I respond without answering her question. "Can we not do this now? I really need to clear my head for a little bit."

"Fine, but please don't do anything drastic until you've had time to think it through."

"And here I thought you'd be proud of me for going to Jenks and trying to protect myself," I retort sarcastically.

"Just think about it, Edward."

"I will," I promise.

And just like that, I have to reevaluate my life for the second time this week.

* * *

**A/N: Poor, clueless Edward. I was surprised that so few of you guessed the real reason that Bella was pissed off. A few got it point blank, a few hinted at it, but most people thought she was jealous and hypocritical or just pissed that he did it the same night he met Charlie. So, do you think she's justified now?**

**The next chapter will be up on Monday. See you then!**

**Thanks to beachcomberlc for keeping me on the straight and narrow, but all mistakes are mine.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

I spend the rest of the day Saturday losing myself in my music, but instead of sitting down with my guitar, I end up in front of my piano. It's probably been years since I spent any significant amount of time on the piano. I don't know what brought me here today, but it does feel good to let the music flow through a different outlet.

After an hour or so of warming up with familiar pieces that I don't need sheet music for, I find myself working on a new composition. The notes in my head come easily and naturally, and though I know this will never be heard by anyone else, I still write it down.

I have books full of the piano compositions that I've written throughout the years. My mother always told me I could make a living composing piano pieces, and she was probably right. But once the band took off when I was twenty, that idea was pushed to the back burner.

By the time I decide to call it a day, I look at the clock and realize it's close to midnight. It's not unusual for me to miss the passing of time when I'm engrossed in my music, but what surprises me tonight is the lack of urge to do anything else.

Normally, I would have been craving a night out, looking for another bar or party and on the prowl for my next lay. Those thoughts didn't even cross my mind tonight while I was so focused on the music.

I do, however, take a long, hot shower before bed to relieve a little tension. Although I'd prefer to have a warm body take care of it for me, my hand will have to suffice for now.

When I wake up on Sunday morning, I know I'm going to have to swallow my pride and call Bella. Jenks did call me back yesterday and let me know that the birth certificate can be updated without the DNA test if Bella agrees, but short of getting her agreement, I'll need to have the test performed.

I would venture to guess that if she doesn't readily agree to update the birth certificate, there's not much chance that she'll agree to the DNA test easily either.

Resigned to try to play nice with Bella while making my own demands, I grab my cell phone and get comfortable on the couch to call her.

"Hello?" a high pitched voice answers.

I'm momentarily confused, knowing the voice isn't Bella's. "Um … Alice?"

She sighs. "Yes, Edward. It's Alice. What do you need?" Way to get right to the point.

"Hi, uh … I was calling to talk to Bella." Obviously, since I called her cell phone. But I don't need her best friend hating me any more than she already does, so I bite back that retort.

"She's unavailable right now," Alice responds, as if that's the final word on the matter.

"Okay, can you give me an idea of when she will be available?" I ask, trying to keep the frustration out of my voice.

"Probably not for a few days."

"A few days? I need to talk to her soon, Alice. This really can't wait."

"Well, unfortunately the world doesn't revolve around you, Edward. She's been through a lot in the last two days and really needs her rest right now."

"What do you mean? She was fine on Friday."

"A lot can happen in a day and a half," she huffs.

"Alice, can you please tell me what's going on? Is Charlie okay?"

"Charlie's fine."

"If you don't give me more details, I'm coming over there right now," I warn.

"I really don't think that's a good idea."

"And I really don't care _what_ you think. That's _my_ daughter, and if something's wrong with Bella, then I should be there to take care of her." Alice's evasiveness is really starting to worry me.

"Look, we really don't need an extra hassle right now—"

I cut her off. "Fine, then just let me in when I get there. I'll see you in twenty minutes." I end the call without giving her a chance to respond.

Running up to my room, I step into the first pair of jeans that I find and pull a sweater over my head. In no time at all, I'm out the door and on my way to Bella's house.

I really hope I'm overreacting and Alice is blowing something way out of proportion. Maybe she's just being evasive because Bella didn't want to talk to me. That would be understandable after the way we left things on Friday night.

I arrive at Bella's house faster than I should have, thankful that I didn't get pulled over for speeding. As soon as I'm out of the car, I'm at the door pounding on it with my fist.

Alice opens the door looking much less put together than usual.

"Where's Charlie?" I ask before she can say anything.

The door opens wider and she waves her hand in the direction of the living room. Stepping back, she lets me enter. I rush into the room and find a sleeping baby in the swing, which is gently swaying back and forth while soft music plays.

"I just got her back to sleep, so please don't wake her," Alice says quietly.

"Okay, you want to tell me what's going on then?" I ask, turning back to glare at Alice.

She gestures to the couch, so I take a seat and watch while she sits in the oversized chair to my left.

"After you left on Friday night," Alice starts quietly, and already I don't like where this is going. "Bella had some really bad pains and started bleeding more than normal. I finally convinced her to go to the hospital around two a.m., and it turned out that she had some retained placenta. She had to have a procedure to remove it and slow the bleeding, and they kept her until late last night."

I'm shocked by this, but then I vaguely remember her grabbing her stomach a few times before she kicked me out of the house. I hope our fight didn't contribute to her problem.

Alice continues to explain the situation. "Because of the procedure and the medications, she isn't allowed to nurse Charlie until tonight, but Charlie isn't really fond of that plan. She's having a hard time taking a bottle, so the last twenty-four hours have been really rough."

I let out a breath. "Bella's okay now?"

"For the most part. Physically, she's fine, but she needs some extra rest to recover."

"And what about Charlie?"

Alice shrugs. "She's taken the bare minimum from the bottle, so she's been pretty cranky. Hopefully once Bella can nurse her again, everything will be fine."

"You should have called me, Alice," I say through gritted teeth, trying to control my anger.

She shakes her head. "I'm not getting involved in this. Whatever happened is between you and Bella. She didn't want me to call you, so I didn't."

"But this is _my_ daughter, and someone should have let me know if something like this was going on."

"I'm sorry, Edward, but you're going to have to discuss this with Bella."

I nod, understanding that Alice is in a bad position, but I can't help thinking that she's the one that created this mess. If she hadn't shown Bella the article, everything would have been fine. Although I know there's a chance Bella could have seen it on her own, and then we would be right back in this situation.

"Is she awake?"

"Yeah, I told her you were on your way over," Alice replies. "Just do me a favor, Edward. Please don't upset her right now. She really needs a chance to recover from this."

I nod and stand up, not waiting for an invitation to go upstairs.

As soon as I reach Bella's door, I knock gently and turn the knob when I hear her soft voice invite me in.

What I see when I open the door almost startles me. The strong, independent woman that I've come to know now looks completely drained. Her usual rosy cheeks are void of color, and her eyes have lost their typical sparkle. Her hair is in a messy bun on the top of her head.

She's propped up against the headboard and puts a book down on the nightstand as I step into the room.

"Hi," I offer quietly.

"Hi," she says with no emotion, but I see the anger in her eyes.

"Alice told me what happened," I start.

"You shouldn't be here," she insists.

"Bella," I say with a sigh, taking another step into the room. "Can we just put everything aside for a little while? I didn't come here to argue with you. Just let me help for now, and we'll deal with everything else later, okay?"

"I really don't think that's a good idea."

I grab my hair and pull it in frustration. "Why are you so stubborn?" I ask angrily, but quickly realize that I need to change my tone. "Weren't you the one who said if Charlie had a father that was willing to be part of her life, that was a good thing? Well, I'm here, and I'm trying. Just let me help."

I study her appearance and the stubborn set of her arms crossed over her chest, knowing that she still wants to kick me out. Maybe she's right and I shouldn't be here. It's not like I know the first thing about taking care of a baby. Then an idea strikes me.

"If you don't trust me, how about my mom? She could help out with the baby. I mean, come on … Alice looks like she hasn't slept in days, and you need to rest so you can recover."

Her posture softens a bit, so I can tell I'm getting to her.

"Please, Bella. I promise we'll deal with our differences later. Just please let me help."

She sags back against the headboard and turns her face up to the ceiling.

"Fine, Edward," she concedes in a weak voice. "You can stay … and you can call your mom."

I let out a breath in relief. I know we'll still have a lot to work through, but hopefully that can take a backburner for now since it's so obvious that she needs help.

"Okay," I rush out. "I'll go call her."

I'm probably more relieved than she is that I thought to offer my mother's help, considering I was offering help that I didn't know how to give.

I head downstairs and bypass the living room when I see Alice asleep on the couch. I dial my mother as soon as I reach the den. As expected, she's willing to help and tells me that she'll be over in an hour after she throws together some food to bring with her.

I thank her profusely before hanging up and then plop down on the couch with a sigh.

I sit and wonder how my intent for today changed so drastically. When I called Bella an hour ago, I expected to argue with her and make demands of my own. But, finding out that she'd been in the hospital and then seeing Alice looking just as exhausted made me realize that I had to do something to help.

Bella really has no one. No husband to change diapers in the middle of the night, no mother to dote on her new grandchild and buy everything she needs, no sisters or brothers to act as proud aunts and uncles.

I've already made up my mind that I'll be a father to Charlie, so now it's time to start acting like one.

As if she's reading my mind, I hear Charlie begin to cry from the other room.

I slip my phone into my back pocket and walk down the hall, finding Alice barely stirring even with Charlie's high pitched noises right next to her. I look at the baby in the swing and realize that I don't even know how to turn the damn thing off.

"Alice … Alice," I say, shaking her arm gently.

She groans and slowly opens her eyes. "Oh," she exclaims when she registers Charlie's cries.

"I'll get her. I just don't know how to work the swing," I admit.

She sighs and slumps back into the couch. "Just turn the dial on the top," she mumbles.

I do as instructed and hear the motor of the swing go off. It keeps swaying, so I use my hand to stop it, and then I unbuckle Charlie and take her out.

The smell hits me as soon as I lift my daughter up. "Um …"

"Diapers and a changing table are in the den," Alice instructs sleepily, but I swear I hear her snicker at the end of her statement.

I look at Charlie, still crying in my arms, and then back at Alice, whose eyes are already closed again.

_Well, here we go_.

* * *

**A/N: Anyone ready to see if Edward can figure out how to change a diaper?**

**I love all of the reviews for the last chapter! I'm totally amazed at the passion you all feel for either Edward's side or Bella's. It was great to see such a variety of comments. Remember, if you're not signed in, I can't respond to your review, and I've been having some fun chats with several of you! We even debated a bit on Facebook, so come find me there, too. Link in my profile.**

**As a side note, I wasn't able to respond to a handful of reviews due to FFN issues yesterday. My apologies! I did read them all.**

**Please check out the Lyrics To Life Contest. Entries will start posting soon. www dot fanfiction dot net/ u/5138297/LyricsToLifeContest**

**My awesome beta is beachcomberlc, but all mistakes are mine.**

**The next teaser will post on my Facebook page on Tuesday, and the next chapter will post on Wednesday.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

With a deep breath, I look at the changing table, the stack of diapers and the squirming, crying baby in my arms. I'm so out of my league here, it's not even funny. I don't know the first thing about changing a diaper.

I wish my mom would hurry up and get here.

Knowing that this stinky baby can't wait an hour for her to show up, I get to work.

I lay Charlie down on the changing table and unzip her pajamas. The zipper goes all the way down one leg, making it easy to remove that leg, but I struggle with pulling the other leg out while she kicks her feet.

_Come on, baby. Help me out here._

When I finally release her leg from the confines of the pajamas, I bite my lip, wondering what I should do next. Thinking logically, I decide that I should have a clean diaper ready to go, so I pull one from the top of the stack and open it up, setting it off to the side. It looks simple enough—one part under her butt and the other comes up in front.

I open the tabs of her dirty diaper and nearly gag when I look inside. Is Bella feeding this kid mustard? It's yellow and seedy and gross with darker streaks mixed in, and the smell is much worse now that the diaper is open.

The mushy poop is smeared on her body, so I look around and locate a tub of baby wipes. The lid pops open easily, and the next wipe is already sticking up. I'll have to thank whoever came up with this invention.

I wipe her gently with one hand while my other hand attempts to hold her body still. It's a losing battle, as her legs continue to kick around, one foot landing directly in the dirty diaper.

"Nooo," I whine, grabbing her foot before it can make even more of a mess.

The first wipe gets dropped inside the dirty diaper while I grab a fresh one. I clean her foot and quickly catch the other one before we have the same issue. Of course, this is when I realize that she squirmed so much that the poop is now on her pajamas.

"Come on, Charlie. Must you make this as difficult as possible for me?" I ask. I could swear she smiles when she looks at me. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that Alice set her up to do this to me.

Now with both feet in one hand, I lift her body slightly and start wiping again. I hope I'm not hurting her, but I'm pretty sure I've seen it done like this somewhere, and it's the only way to get all around her bottom. It doesn't seem right to be pushing the wipe in all the crevices. I just can't see any other way to get her clean.

I pull the dirty diaper and all the wipes out from under her and move it off to the side, pushing the fresh one in its place. I give her one last swipe to make sure she's clean before lowering her back down to the table. Just as I go to grab the front of the diaper, she pees.

"Well, at least you waited until there was a diaper to catch it," I commend her.

I hold it closed while picking up another clean one, using my chin to help hold it while I try to open it up with my one free hand. Once open, I quickly pull out the wet one and replace it with the dry one, lifting the front over her belly before anything else can escape.

"Aha! I got it," I applaud myself, looking for the tabs to hold it closed. "Shit." The back of the diaper is in the front.

With another quick move, I turn the diaper around and close it up, proud that there were no additional accidents this time. I locate the tabs and stick them to the front, securing the damn thing in place.

Charlie's still crying, and now I have the little issue of dirty clothes to deal with. I pick her up and hold her to my chest, being careful not to let the poop anywhere near either of us. I am able to easily slide the PJs off her arms and drop them onto the changing table.

She settles down when she's up against my chest, but I now have a naked baby in my arms and no way to deal with the dirty diaper and pajamas that are sitting on the table.

Oh well. You win some, you lose some. The kid's clean and she stopped crying. I'm counting that as a win.

I walk around the room with Charlie up against my chest, trying to use my arms to help keep her warm. She doesn't seem bothered that she's not wearing clothes.

When I go to sit on the couch, I spot a basket of folded baby clothes next to it. I put Charlie down in the playpen that Bella had her in the other night. At least if she squirms in there, she can't go anywhere. She protests at the loss of my body heat, so after using some of the antibacterial stuff sitting on the changing table to clean my hands, I quickly grab the first pair of pajamas that I find in the basket.

Recalling the way I removed the dirty clothes, I begin the process in reverse order. I manage to get one arm through a sleeve easily, then I lift her upper body a little to pull the PJs across her back. The other arm is more of a struggle with tiny fingers catching on the inside, but eventually it goes in. I hold one of her kicking feet and push it into the footie part. The second leg goes in much easier, and then the whole thing gets zipped up and snapped at the top.

I step back for a minute and admire my work. Charlie's looking at me while her little legs and arms are moving around, but she's not unhappy.

Hmm, another win. I smile to myself as I realize that wasn't _too_ bad.

Of course, the moment doesn't last long as Charlie starts to make her presence known again. Figuring she was happy in my arms before, I pick her up and hold her close. When that doesn't settle her down, I start walking around the room.

Still nothing.

I remember the other day when she calmed down with my singing, so I try that approach again. After about five minutes of singing, walking and swaying, she's still unhappy.

I hate to admit defeat, but I also hate to hear her crying so much. As the minutes tick by, her noises get louder and her face gets redder, so I finally give in and head into the living room to wake Alice.

She must have heard all the crying, because her eyes are open when I reach the room.

"Uh … she's clean," I tell Alice. "And, she was quiet for a few minutes but then started crying again and I can't get her to calm down."

Alice sits up and stretches. "I'm sure she's hungry since she's barely taken any of the formula. There's a bottle sitting on the kitchen counter that's ready to go. If by some miracle you can get her to drink that, there's more formula in the fridge. You just have to warm it up under the tap first."

"Thanks," I say sincerely, still swaying my body to try to calm Charlie. "Sorry I had to wake you."

She nods and gives me a small smile. I accept the momentary truce and leave her there, heading into the kitchen with Charlie to find the bottle.

It's sitting on top of a cloth on the counter, right where Alice said it would be. I take the bottle and the cloth and head back to the den.

Settling down in the corner of the couch, I bend my knees and put my feet up on the other cushion. Charlie gets tucked into the crook of my left elbow while her bottom rests on my lap.

I bring the bottle to her mouth, which is still open while she screams. As soon as it touches her lips, her mouth clamps shut and she turns her head.

I try again, rubbing the tip of it across her mouth, hoping to get her to open up, but she turns away again and screams. I continue trying to take advantage of the screams to get the thing in her mouth, but the girl is stubborn and won't be fooled.

Huh, so she's a boob girl, just like her father. I do happen to recall Bella having fantastic tits, so I can't blame her.

My frustration starts to build as the minutes go by, but giving up would be admitting defeat again, and I can't do that … at least not yet.

I have something to prove, to Bella and Alice as well as to myself. I can do this. I can be a better father than my birth father was. I can handle a crying baby without driving myself to drink or to hit the kid.

Pulling the bottle away, I drop my head back and take a few deep breaths to calm down. The crying is starting to get to me, and I wonder how long she can keep it up. Aren't babies supposed to cry themselves out? This kid should be asleep by now.

"Come on, Charlie. I know you're hungry," I coo softly, bringing the bottle back to her mouth.

When she doesn't clamp shut immediately, I stick the nipple inside and wiggle it around. Her lips close around it momentarily, but then her tongue pushes it out. I move it back in and give another shake, watching as a drop of formula leaks from the tip and onto her tongue.

Instinctively, she swallows, her mouth closing around the nipple. She lets out another cry but swallows again. Then a whimper followed by another swallow. And another.

Before I know it, she's drinking a constant flow of formula.

"Good girl," I praise in a soft voice. "See? You were just hungry."

She continues to drink for a few minutes, and I watch as her body relaxes more and more with each mouthful. Before I know it, the bottle is nearly empty and Charlie is almost asleep.

When the constant sucking stops, I pull the bottle from her mouth and place it on the table next to me.

"All right, little girl. I'm pretty sure you're supposed to burp now," I tell her.

I throw the cloth from the kitchen over my shoulder and then bring Charlie's tiny body up against it. "Please don't puke on me," I beg.

I begin patting her back gently, watching as her head lolls to the side. She's practically asleep on my shoulder. I'm still patting, waiting for the burp, when I hear the doorbell chime.

Knowing that must be my mom, I stand up and walk back to the foyer.

Alice has already opened the door by the time I get there, and my mother is introducing herself. She smiles softly at me when she sees me with Charlie on my shoulder.

"I brought some lunch," she tells Alice. "If you can point me to the kitchen, I'll take care of everything."

"Thank you, Mrs. Cullen. You didn't have to do that."

"Nonsense, dear. It's my pleasure. And, please, call me Esme."

Mom and Alice disappear into the kitchen while I continue trying to burp Charlie. Only about a minute goes by before I hear Alice's voice screech through the house.

"Edward Cullen, what the hell is this?"

My mother and I both run from opposite sides of the house into the den to see what she's yelling about. I find Alice standing in front of the changing table, hands on her hips, tapping her foot. Her lips are set firmly together as she glares at me.

That's when I remember the dirty diapers and pajamas.

"Shit, sorry," I rush to apologize. "I had to change her clothes and then she was crying because she was hungry and I fed her, but I never got back to that stuff."

Her eyes soften. "You fed her?"

"Yeah, she drank almost everything that was in that bottle," I respond, dipping my head toward the bottle on the coffee table.

Alice turns to look at it, then back to me with wide eyes. She smirks at me. "You're forgiven _this_ time. But only because you got her to eat."

"Thanks," I chuckle.

She proceeds to wrap up the diapers and drop them in a pail. "For future reference, dirty diapers go in here," she says, flipping the handle so the offending items disappear.

I nod in acknowledgement.

"Can you wake Bella in half an hour?" she asks me. "She needs to pump."

I look at her, confused about what she means. "Pump?"

"She has to pump her milk, and I really need to lie down for a while."

"Yeah, sure."

"I'll keep the casserole heated for whenever you get up, Alice," Mom offers.

"Thanks."

Alice disappears up the stairs and I drop onto the couch in relief.

"Okay, give me my granddaughter now," Mom demands.

I laugh and hand over the sleeping baby, letting Mom know that I was trying to burp her. In seconds, she is able to get a burp out of Charlie with pats to the back that are much harder than I thought would be safe, but she assures me it's fine.

Thirty minutes later, Mom has instructed me to take the casserole out of the oven and prepare a plate for Bella. She hasn't put Charlie down yet, even though the baby's been out cold this entire time.

"Go wake Bella," she instructs. "Take her lunch up to her. I'm sure you two need to talk."

With a deep breath, I grab the plate, a fork and a bottle of water and head up the stairs, hoping that changing and feeding Charlie will be the most difficult part of my day.

* * *

**A/N: So, how did he do?**

**A teaser for the next chapter will be posted on Fic Central tonight and I'll post the link on Twitter and Facebook tonight or tomorrow. The next chapter will be up on Friday.**

**Beachcomberlc rocks, but all mistakes are mine.**

**Don't forget to check out the Lyrics To Life contest. Entries will begin posting soon! www. fanfiction u/5138297/LyricsToLifeContest**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

I knock gently on Bella's door a few times, but don't get a response. After knocking a second time and waiting, I decide to let myself in. She's probably sleeping, and I don't want to wake Alice by knocking louder.

Pushing the door open carefully, I step into the room and find her curled up on her side with her book lying on the bed next to her. I step inside and quietly place the plate and drink on the bedside table before looking over at Bella.

She looks so peaceful that I almost hate to wake her. Several locks of hair have fallen from her bun, covering some of her cheek and ear. Long eyelashes practically rest on her cheeks, which I notice now have a bit more color.

Her sweatshirt has ridden up, exposing the curve of her waist to me. I'm amazed that so soon after giving birth she looks like she has a decent figure. Part of me wonders what she looked like while she was pregnant.

I gently push the hair out of her face and call her name a few times, nudging her arm when she doesn't respond.

"Bella," I call out again with my hand on her arm. "Alice said you needed to wake up now."

"Hmm?" she responds sleepily, her eyes still closed.

"Alice said you needed to pump, and I brought you some lunch."

She breathes in deeply before rolling slightly onto her back and opening her eyes. They maintain a sleepy gaze while she tries to focus on me, and I suddenly remember what it was that attracted me to her in the first place. She truly is beautiful, in a natural, innocent way, and her eyes make you feel like you can see into her soul.

"What was that?" she asks when she finally looks at me fully.

"Uh, I brought you some lunch … well, my mom brought it over and I just carried it upstairs, and Alice said you needed to pump."

She stretches a bit and hums. "Thanks," she says, moving gingerly to sit up in the bed.

When she struggles a little, I reach out and help her before realizing that she probably doesn't want me anywhere near her right now. But she doesn't refuse my assistance, and I'm glad for the minor advancement of our relationship.

"Where's Charlie?" she asks, reaching over to the plate of food.

"My mom has her downstairs. Alice is taking a nap."

She hums again around her first bite. "Thanks for this," she says. "I didn't even realize how hungry I was."

"No problem. Do you need anything else?"

"Yeah," she sighs after taking another bite. "I actually need Charlie while I pump." At my confused expression, she continues with a sigh. "It helps with the milk letdown. I'm not actually producing much milk when I pump, but the lactation consultant told me that having her in the same room might help."

"Can I ask," I start, sitting on the edge of the bed while she eats. "Uh, I don't understand why you need to pump."

She sets the plate down and takes a large drink of water. "Technically, what I have to do is called 'pump and dump.' I can't let Charlie have any of the milk until the medication is out of my system, hence dumping it out, but I need to pump to continue producing it, and also to get the tainted milk out."

My eyebrows rise at her explanation. This whole nursing thing is beyond me.

"Okay," I respond slowly, even though I don't quite get it. "Will you be okay up here alone with Charlie?"

She bites her lip, clearly contemplating something while she picks her plate up again. "Um, Alice usually stays with me."

"Oh, do you want me to wake her?"

She shakes her head while chewing another bite of food. "You could … you could stay." She hesitates but continues. "I mean, once I get started I'll be totally covered up. Just in case I can't get up to get to Charlie?"

I give her a small smile. "As long as you're okay with that, it's fine with me. I just don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"No, it's fine." She sits the plate on the table and starts to push herself to the edge of the bed, but I can see she's weak and struggling.

"What do you need, Bella?" I ask, stopping her with a hand on her arm.

She sighs and points to the wall behind me. "The pump. It's that black bag over there."

I grab the bag and put it on the bed next to her. "It's okay to ask," I tell her seriously. "I swear I don't bite … Well, unless you want me to," I add with a chuckle.

She laughs, and then holds her stomach. "Sorry, sorry!" I rush to say, cringing at having caused her pain.

"It's okay. I could use a little laughter. Just not too much."

"Anything else you need before I go get Charlie?"

She looks at me sheepishly. "Maybe some more of that casserole?"

"You got it."

I head back down the stairs and explain to Mom what Bella needs. She tells me she'll get Charlie ready while I get Bella some more food. When I return with a full plate in my hand, she hands Charlie to me, all wrapped up like a little burrito in a soft, pink blanket.

Mom tells me that she'll clean up while I'm with Bella, so I take another trip up the stairs. As I'm walking up with my hands full for the second time, it dawns on me how difficult this must be for Bella. I'm tired of the stairs after just a few trips with some things in my hands. I can't imagine how painful it must be for her to have to do this with stitches in her stomach and carrying a baby. No wonder her doctor told her to limit the amount of times she takes the stairs.

As I stand outside her door, I hear the quiet whirl of a motor running. Having no free hands, I call out to her.

"Come on in," she says.

Thankfully, I left the door cracked open, so I push it with my shoulder and enter her room. Bella is sitting up and leaning forward, but she has a blanket wrapped around her, so I have no idea what the hell is going on under the covers.

I put the plate on her bedside table again. "Um, where do you want Charlie?" I ask, unsure of what I'm supposed to do now.

"You can just hold her, maybe somewhere that I can see her?"

I nod and look around for a place to get comfortable. "Is this okay?" I ask, sitting at the foot of the bed facing Bella with one leg tucked under me and the other on the floor so my shoes aren't on the bed.

"Yeah." She looks at Charlie's face for a moment. "Wow, she's sleeping so peacefully for once."

I look down at the little face in my arms. "She's been asleep since I fed her, for about an hour," I estimate with a shrug.

"You fed her?" The shock is clear as day on her face.

"And changed her nasty diaper," I tell her proudly, puffing up my chest a bit.

Bella laughs before cringing again, but quickly straightens up. "Who helped you with the diaper?"

I gasp in mock exasperation. "Why would you think I needed help?"

She just cocks an eyebrow at me.

"Well, I could have used the help, but I didn't have any," I state matter-of-factly. "Alice was asleep and my mom wasn't here yet. Trial by fire, I think they call that."

Bella smiles at me again, and I'm happy to see that I'm able to get her to relax a little. Now's probably not the time for that heavy conversation we need to have.

"So, how did it go?"

"We managed," I respond, looking back to Charlie. "Although, Alice wasn't too happy that I left the dirty diapers out along with her clothes, but she gave me a pass when she found out that I got Charlie to drink the whole bottle."

"I'm really impressed, Edward. I have to admit that I didn't think you had it in you."

"I'm a man of many talents, Bella."

She smiles again and shakes her head. "Wait, you said dirty diapers … there was more than one?"

"Oh, yeah. Charlie was making me work for it."

"Do I even want to know why you had to take her clothes off?"

"Nope." I smile, still proud of my accomplishments even if they came with some setbacks. "But I did manage to get her dressed in new clothes. You need to focus on the positive here."

She chuckles. "Okay."

We're silent for a few minutes while the sound of the pump continues to fill the air around us. Charlie moves around in my arms but doesn't wake up, and Bella continues to watch her the entire time, although at times I feel her eyes on me.

"Can you hit the switch for me?" Bella asks.

"Sure. Which one?" I move closer to look at the pump.

"That big one," she responds.

I locate the switch and turn the machine off for her. "Can you just, uh, turn around for a minute?"

I nod and do just that, taking the baby to the other side of the room to give Bella a minute. I admire the pictures she has sitting out on her dresser while I wait. Most are of her and Alice, but there are a few of her and a man with dark hair and eyes like Bella's. This must be her dad.

I don't know how long I'm looking at the pictures before I realize that the room isn't silent anymore. Quiet sniffles are coming from behind me. "Bella?" I call out without turning around.

She takes a deep breath before saying, "I'm fine. Can I have Charlie for a few minutes?"

When I turn around, I see that she's clearly _not_ fine, but I don't say anything. I walk over to the bed and lean down to pass the baby to her. Her eyes are red, and I watch a lone tear slip down her face.

I rub the back of my neck while I make a decision that could completely backfire on me, but decide to take the chance anyway. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, I start unlacing my boots.

"What are you doing?" Bella asks.

As I finish loosening them up and pulling them off, I tell her, "I'm sitting with you so you can tell me what's wrong." I don't leave any room for argument.

I climb up to the head of the bed and lean back on the pillows, watching Bella's shocked expression as she stares at me.

She huffs when I make myself comfortable, letting her know that I'm not going anywhere. "It's not something you need to worry about, Edward."

"Well, it's too late for that. So, why don't you just tell me what's going on?"

She looks at me for a long moment as another tear escapes. Finally relenting, she lays down on her side, putting Charlie on the bed between us. I roll over and scoot down to mirror her position.

"You're going to think it's stupid," she starts, looking down at the baby.

I shake my head. "Just talk to me, Bella."

"I'm just afraid that I won't be able to nurse Charlie anymore," she says quietly.

"Why not?" I ask, confused as usual when it comes to nursing.

"Look at those bottles," she says, waving her hand in the direction of the table behind her. "And tell me how much was in the bottle that you gave her."

I peek my head over her body and my eyes go wide. "Oh," is all I can respond when I realize that there are barely a few drops in each bottle.

"Yeah." She sighs. "I know it doesn't mean anything to you, but this was something I wanted to do for Charlie. Something only _I_ could do for her. And I can't even do that." She traces her fingers over Charlie's sleeping face as more tears fall.

"I'm sorry, Bella. Even though I know next to nothing about breastfeeding, I do understand that it means a lot to you." I reach out and take her hand, linking our fingers together over Charlie's belly, and sighing in relief when she doesn't pull away.

"Will you tell me about your family?" she asks, startling me with the abrupt change of subject.

I smile softly at her and give her fingers a squeeze. "I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

* * *

**A/N: They still have some important stuff to discuss … they'll get there!**

**Since there is no more Fictionators *sniff* I'll be posting a teaser on Twilight Fic Zone. Their teasers post on Saturday, so you'll get the teaser earlier now! That also means I can post Monday's chapter a few hours earlier.**

**It appears that there has been another round of purging from FFN. I do not plan to pull any of my stories off this site, but to be safe, they are all posted on FictionPad. My penname over there is still kitchmill, so you can find me easily. All updates on FictionPad will be exactly the same as they are on FFN.**

**Beachcomberlc is my awesome beta, but all mistakes are mine.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

As I lay on the bed next to Bella, she begins to ask me questions about my family, mostly wondering whether I have a large extended family and what it was like growing up with two stable parents. I share what I can with her about my childhood, which was relatively normal, albeit privileged.

I don't have much extended family since both of my parents are only children. I grew up with four grandparents, but they are all long gone by now. I have no idea if there is any family to speak of from my birth parents, not that I'd be interested in getting to know them anyway. I also have no recollection of spending time with anyone other than Ed and Liz, and even those few memories are extremely hazy.

I do tell her about how it took me a long time to warm up to my dad. Being a pediatrician, he recognized the signs of abuse early on and was patient with me while I learned to trust him.

When Charlie starts to stir, I take her downstairs and let my mother change and feed her, knowing she's been itching to help out. She gladly takes the baby and tells me to go back to Bella.

I return to the bedroom and resume my spot on the bed without protest from Bella. We spend the next little while getting to know each other better, and I find that I'm enjoying my time with her much more than I expected to. I've never really had any female friends aside from Rosalie, and even she is more like one of the guys with her gruff attitude. But Bella is soft spoken and kind, yet fiercely protective of the ones she loves.

She tells me a little more about her life with her father, growing up in a small town where everyone knew everyone else. She explains that she spent a lot of time with her neighbor, Mrs. Cope, when her father was working, and she learned early on to take care of herself and her father.

I learn that she loves to cook, even though it started out as a necessity since her dad didn't have a clue in the kitchen. She had a few close girlfriends growing up, but they grew apart when the other girls went further away for college.

She tells me about meeting Alice when they both moved into the dorm at UW, and how she was initially afraid of the little bundle of energy. I laugh and admit I'm still slightly afraid of Alice.

When I see Bella's eyes start to get glassy and her eyelids drooping, I offer to leave her alone so she can get some sleep.

"You're not leaving, are you?" she asks, putting her hand on my arm to stop me from moving from the bed.

"No." I smile down at her sleepy face. "I'm just gonna go downstairs and help my mom out. She said something about making dinner."

She sighs. "Please tell her she doesn't have to do that."

"I'll tell her, Bella. But I can't promise that it'll stop her." I smooth some hair back from her face. "Trust me," I say quietly. "She wants to help."

She looks at me for another moment before her eyes close in a long blink, and I marvel again at how naturally beautiful she is.

"Okay, thanks," she whispers when her eyes flutter open again.

I chuckle quietly. "Get some sleep, and I'll come get you for dinner."

Her eyes are already closed again when she hums her agreement. I have an almost overwhelming urge to kiss her forehead and tuck her in, but I resist, not wanting to push my luck too far today.

Returning downstairs once again, I find Alice in the kitchen looking much more refreshed than she did earlier.

"Feeling better?" I ask when she notices me walk into the room.

"Much. Thank you." She gives me a warm smile, much better than the angry glares I was getting when I got here. It's amazing what a little rest can do for someone.

"Where's my mom?" I hadn't noticed her when I walked through the downstairs.

"She ran out to the store, saying something about needing leafy greens for Bella. I told her I'd make dinner, but she insisted that she wanted to do it."

I laugh again. "That's just what I told Bella two minutes ago." I take a seat at the island. "Is Charlie sleeping?"

"Yeah, she's in the Pack-N-Play in the den. Your mom said she took another three ounces a while ago."

"Is that good?" I guess I need to know these things. There are probably a bunch of questions I should ask my dad.

She nods. "She'll probably sleep better with the formula. I have no idea what's going to happen when Bella starts nursing her again."

I run my hand through my hair, remembering the short conversation Bella and I had about that earlier.

"Bella's pretty worried about not being able to do that anymore. She barely got any milk when she pumped."

Alice's shoulders slump. "Maybe it'll pick back up once she starts nursing again. Some people just don't respond well to a pump."

I shift in my seat uncomfortably. "I really don't know anything about it," I tell her, hoping we can get off this topic.

Thankfully, the ringing doorbell interrupts our conversation, and Alice leaves the room to answer it. I slowly follow her out, expecting it to be my mother returning from her trip to the store, but I'm surprised when I see a guy in the doorway.

I watch as Alice invites the tall, lanky blond into the house. He has some manila file folders in his hand. He's smiling brightly at Alice until he notices me standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall with my arms crossed. Alice follows his gaze and her expression drops as well.

"Oh, um …" she starts. "Edward, this is Jasper. He's just dropping off some files for me to work on this week. Jasper, this is Edward. He's …" She pauses and scrunches her nose, clearly trying to figure out how to introduce me. "He's my roommate's friend."

I guess that was a good enough explanation. I push my body off the wall and step toward them with my hand extended. "Nice to meet you, Jasper. You work with Alice?"

He accepts my handshake with his smile returning. "Uh, no. My mom does. I'm just doing her a favor." If he recognizes me, he doesn't let it on.

I nod at him and take a seat in the living room, having nothing else to do while I wait for my mom.

"I should be going," Jasper says to Alice. "I'd be happy to stop back if you need anything else, Alice."

I watch as Alice's expression turns shy, something I never thought I'd see from her.

"Thanks. It was nice seeing you again."

"Nice meeting you, man," he says with a wave in my direction as he turns to the door.

"You, too." I jerk my chin in his direction in acknowledgement before he leaves.

He must have passed Mom on his way out, because she's at the door before Alice can close it. She breezes in like she owns the place, taking her bags right into the kitchen and unloading the groceries. I'm pretty sure she bought more than just what she'll need for tonight.

Alice offers to help her cook dinner, so I head into the den to hang out for a while. I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I know, I'm waking up to the sound of Charlie fussing. When I peek at her, she looks like she's still sleeping, so I leave her alone.

She continues to wiggle around and grunt in her sleep for a few minutes before I smell it. Another dirty diaper, just for me.

"Come on, kid. Can't you give me a break?" With a sigh, I pick her up and unwrap the blanket that she was snuggled up in and walk into the kitchen.

"Hey, Alice? You wanna show me how to do it the right way this time?" I ask, hoping maybe she'll take over this diaper change.

She looks at me and smiles. "Nope. I'm sure you can handle it," she says nonchalantly.

Mom laughs. "You'll be fine, Edward. Just remember to throw it away this time."

"I think they're all out to get me," I mutter to Charlie as I head back into the den.

Surprisingly, they were right and the second time around is much easier than the first; although, the smell is much worse. Not sure what's up with that. But the poop was solid and much less messy. And no feet landed in it.

Of course, once she's clean, Charlie lets me know that she's now hungry, too. I take her back into the kitchen and ask Alice for a bottle.

"Actually, why don't you just take her upstairs to Bella? She's allowed to nurse her now," Alice informs me after glancing at the clock.

I nod and head back upstairs with Charlie whining in my arms, knocking on Bella's door when I get there. When there's no answer, I let myself in, knowing she's probably still sleeping.

I find her curled up on her side again, but she stirs quickly when she hears Charlie's cries. "Mmm," she hums. "How long was I out?"

"Long enough for me to have to change another diaper."

Smiling, she reaches for Charlie, and I hand her over.

"Uh, Alice said you can nurse her now," I tell her, shifting nervously on my feet. "You can just call me if you need anything. I think dinner will be ready by the time you're done."

"Thanks, Edward," she says, looking down lovingly at the baby.

I quickly exit the room and go back to my mom in the kitchen. She wastes no time in putting me to work, handing me plates and instructing me to set the table. I do as I'm told, following up with napkins and silverware.

Mom is just taking the lasagna out of the oven when I start to hear Charlie's cries getting louder. I decide to go check on Bella, but as I reach the bottom of the stairs, I see her standing at the top.

"Everything okay?"

She shakes her head, and even from this distance, I can see the tears forming in her eyes. "She won't latch on," Bella states, her voice cracking toward the end. "She's been fussing this whole time, and I can't get her to even try to nurse."

I take the stairs two at a time and wrap my arms around Bella and Charlie without even thinking. "Is there anything I can do?" I ask quietly, holding her head to my chest.

She sniffles and shakes her head again. "She's hungry and I'm frustrated and we're not going to get anywhere like this." She huffs, trying to control herself. "I just … I'm just going to give her a bottle for now."

I pull back a bit to see her face. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," she sighs. "Can you take her for a few minutes? I need to go to the bathroom."

"Go ahead," I encourage, taking Charlie out of her arms. "Take your time. I'll take care of Charlie."

Biting her lip, Bella gives Charlie one more look before turning around and going back into her room. I take the baby downstairs and into the kitchen, asking my mom to get a bottle ready while I try to calm Charlie.

As soon as the bottle hits her lips, the crying stops and she starts guzzling the formula. Alice walks into the room and stops, looking at me sadly when she sees the bottle in Charlie's mouth.

"Bella said she cried the whole time," I offer with a shrug.

"I'll go talk to her," Alice says.

Mom doesn't say anything as she goes about her business getting dinner ready. She cuts the lasagna and starts plating it for everyone before putting a plate of garlic bread on the table.

"Why is the lasagna white?" I ask, shifting Charlie in my arm.

"It's spinach lasagna," she explains. "Bella needs iron."

I look at her with one eyebrow raised. "Okay," I say, drawing out the word. I look back to Charlie, who has almost emptied the bottle already but is still sucking away vigorously. "Do you think she'll need more?"

"Try and burp her. Then we'll see if she's still hungry."

I put the bottle on the table and lift Charlie up to my shoulder. Her little hand grabs onto the neck of my shirt as I start patting her back.

"Harder, Edward," Mom instructs.

I look at her skeptically but do as she says. Sure enough, the tiny girl lets out an adult-sized burp.

"Geez, Charlie," I say, holding her under her arms and in front of my face. "Where did that come from?"

She just starts fussing again. Mom quickly places the bottle back in front of me. It has a little more liquid in it, so I cradle Charlie again and let her have it. She goes right back to drinking happily.

Bella and Alice enter the kitchen, and Mom rushes over to hug Bella.

"Are you feeling okay, sweetie? We could have brought dinner up to you."

"Thank you, Esme. I'm actually feeling a lot better after getting some sleep. I really needed to get up and move around a bit." Bella looks over and sees me feeding Charlie, and she gives me a small smile.

"All right, then. You sit down and eat some dinner. Edward can take care of Charlie for now," Mom declares.

And for some reason, I'm perfectly okay with that.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you once again for all of your awesome reviews. I really love all of the conversations we've been having!**

**The next teaser will be on Facebook tomorrow, with the chapter posting on Wednesday.**

**If you like angst, please check out Nightviz's WIP called Fate, Love and Second Chances. This is her first story, but it's a good one!**

**Beachcomberlc keeps me on track, but all mistakes are mine.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Monday morning arrives faster than I want it to, and I wake from yet another erotic dream that I can't remember. It feels as though my subconscious is rebelling against the fact that I haven't gotten laid recently.

I find myself back in the recording studio with Emmett and Rose bright and early. We get right down to business, hoping to finish up the last two songs for the album over the next few days.

It might come as a surprise to most people, but recording is a lot more difficult than playing concerts. At a concert, we know we have two and a half hours of performing, regardless of whether we do it right or not, and then we're done. When we record, we play the same thing over and over again until we get it perfect, sometimes even changing something up from the way it was written.

We're taking a break in the lounge when Emmett asks me about Charlie. "So, when do we get to meet your little munchkin, E?"

I look up at him, surprised that he has any interest in meeting my kid. "I don't know," I tell him honestly. "I'm still trying to work stuff out with Bella."

"But weren't you over there yesterday?" Rose chimes in.

"Yeah, but that was just to help her out." I go on to explain what happened to Bella on Friday, including the argument that we had.

"Eh, maybe she'll forget that shit since you and your mom were so much help yesterday," Emmett offers.

I shrug. "I doubt it. Even if she did, it's something we'll have to work through one way or another. It's not the last time I'll be in the tabloids."

"Edward," Rose chastises. "Do you honestly think that continuing with your sexcapades won't affect Charlie?"

My eyes widen, and I'm slightly taken aback by Rose's question. She's never given two shits about what I do before. "So, you're telling me that I can't fuck around anymore?"

She narrows her eyes at me. "That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that I think Bella had every right to ask you to keep it behind closed doors so you don't draw unnecessary attention to yourself. Frankly, I don't give two shits who you sleep with, and I doubt Bella does either. But every time you're in the news because you fucked some chick in public, you're just asking for trouble."

"And what about all the times I'm in the news for shit I didn't do?" I challenge.

"You can't control that," she retorts. "But you should keep a lid on the stuff that you _can_ control."

"Yeah, well—" I stop speaking abruptly when Aro walks into the room.

"Glad you're all here," he says instead of a greeting, not caring in the least if he's interrupting something. "Since recording should wrap up in the next few days, I had Marcus go ahead and start scheduling some promos that we'll be doing next week."

"Already?" I ask. I thought we'd have a bit of time off before we started with promos.

"Please, Edward," he says condescendingly. "This album is already taking longer than it should have to record. We need to strike while you're still hot."

My nostrils flare as I take his comment as a direct slap in the face. Thankfully, Emmett stands up for me.

"We record until we get it right, Aro," he defends. "No matter how long it takes. We're not putting out shit just to put it out there."

"Oh, believe me," Aro responds. "I wouldn't let you put it out there if it was shit. But we need to get moving on this album quickly. Marcus will email you an itinerary by tomorrow morning. I'll let you get back to work."

He's back out the door before anyone has a chance to respond.

"Fabulous," Rose says with a roll of her eyes. "Guess we better get back to it."

Around five o'clock, I text Bella to see how she's doing and let her know I won't be able to stop by tonight. We're nearly finished with the song we're working on, and stopping now would set us back so we all decided to just push through it.

Bella lets me know that she understands and that she and Charlie are doing fine. She tells me that Charlie slept really well the night before, so she's feeling refreshed from having a longer block of uninterrupted sleep.

We finish up the song and call it a night, but next thing I know we're back in the studio the next morning. There are just a few things that need to be touched up, and we're able to complete it all before lunchtime.

I'm glad to be done, because for some reason, this album is starting to feel like too much work. I've always played because I love it, and when it becomes a chore, it's not worth it.

Emmett wants to go out and celebrate tonight, but I decline, explaining that I'm wiped out from everything that's been going on.

"Seriously?" he asks. "Don't you need a break from being a daddy too?"

I punch him in the shoulder jovially. "I'm just beat," I explain. "I'm not up for a night out." I recognize that it's odd for me to turn down a night out, but I don't dwell on it for too long.

I do, however, text Bella and tell her that I'll stop over in a little while.

When I arrive at her house, I find her downstairs with an awake Charlie in her arms. Bella's cheeks have returned to their rosy complexion, and she looks showered and revived.

"Wow, you look like you're feeling better," I comment as I step into the living room.

"Yeah," she admits. "I guess getting four hours of sleep at a time instead of two will do that to you."

I take off my coat and hang it on a hook by the door before joining her on the couch. She immediately hands Charlie over to me. I look at her with raised eyebrows, somewhat startled by the sudden action.

"What?" she asks. "I know you're not here to see me." She shrugs.

"I do want to talk to you," I tell her. Last night, I thought a lot about what Rose said, so I figure now is as good a time as any to straighten things out with Bella. "Unless you have something you need to go do?"

"No, it's fine." She turns sideways and puts her feet up on the couch, making herself comfortable.

The hand not holding onto Charlie runs nervously through my hair. I realize jumping right to the point will get this over with faster. "Uh, listen … about the other night, I'm really sorry for the way I reacted. I thought about what you said and I understand where you're coming from. So, I'll do what I can to not have that happen again." Vague is good. I can't promise that I won't be with another random chick, or that I won't end up in the tabloids again, but I'll do my best to avoid preventable situations.

"That's really all I ask, Edward," she says with a small smile. "And, I owe you an apology, too. I never should have spoken to you the way I did."

Charlie grabs hold of my finger and I wave it around for her. "Look, Bella, I think we both got a little hotheaded that night. I'm hoping that we can just put it behind us and try to move on."

"I'd like that."

"Um, just so you know, I mean, so you're prepared … they're always writing shit about me that I can't control. I'll do my best to make sure that I'm not the one causing unnecessary attention, but I can't do anything about the stuff they print that isn't true." I chuckle to myself. "If you believe everything they say, then this would actually be my third kid."

Bella looks slightly horrified, but recovers quickly. "Okay, I promise not to jump to conclusions with everything I read."

"Good," I say with a nod. "Then I think we'll be fine." I take a deep breath before launching into the rest of what we need to discuss. "Uh, I'd like to get my name on her birth certificate."

"You're sure about that?" she asks with wide eyes.

"Yeah," I say, running my hand through my hair again. "I'm here … I mean, I plan to be here." I shrug. "She deserves to have her father around."

Bella purses her lips and nods. "Okay. Is there something we need to do before anyone else finds out that you have a daughter?"

I blow out a noisy breath. "I don't think we need to do anything publicity-wise, if that's what you mean." At her nod, I continue. "It's not like anyone's going to find out right now. I'm actually going to be travelling next week for promos, but I should be home for a while after that before the tour starts so we can figure it out then."

The afternoon passes by quickly, and before I know it, Bella and Alice have convinced me that I need to try giving Charlie a bath. Sometimes I swear that they just like to see me struggle.

"It's not like either of us knew how to do it before we gave her a bath the first time," Alice explains. She and I seem to have come to an unspoken understanding. I'm trying, and she's giving me the benefit of the doubt. I don't know, maybe Bella spoke to her, but regardless, I'll take it.

I set the small, plastic tub in the bottom of the bathtub and adjust the water temperature until the little thermometer on the side is green, just like they instructed. I fill the bottom of the plastic tub with water before Alice hands Charlie to me.

"What if she pees while she's in here?" I ask as I remove her diaper.

"Then you'll wash it off," Bella supplies from her spot in the doorway. "Just don't wash her hair until the end so her head's not wet and cold the whole time."

I lay Charlie in the sling part of the plastic tub and get the washcloth wet. Her little arms are flailing around a bit, splashing and getting water on my shirt, but as soon as I run the warm washcloth over her body she settles down.

"Here," Alice says, handing me a bottle of soap. "You can use this on her body and her hair."

I pour a little soap on the washcloth and get it foamy before rubbing it gently over Charlie's body. She seems to be enjoying this, although her legs are kicking and splashing me more. Once I have her all soaped up, I use the clean water from the tap to rinse her off.

With that done, I inspect my next challenge. "How in the world am I supposed to wet her hair?" I ask with an exasperated sigh.

"Use the cup on the ledge," Bella instructs. "Just lean her head back."

I fill the cup with fresh water, tilt Charlie's head and pour it gently over her. Her body stiffens before all of her limbs flail and she cries, clearly not enjoying this part as much as the rest of the bath. Determined to get this done, I grab the soap again and pour some in my hand before lathering up her wispy hair. Her body relaxes a little as I massage her head.

"All right, kiddo. I know you won't like this part, but we're almost done," I tell her quietly.

As expected, there's more splashing and crying while I use the cup to rinse her hair with clean water. I check with my hand to make sure all of the soap is gone before pouring one last cupful over her head.

"All done," I announce to the room in general.

Alice sits on the closed lid of the toilet and tells me to put Charlie on her lap in the towel she has spread there. Her head fits inside a little hood, while Alice wraps the rest of the towel around her and rubs her dry.

"Not bad, Edward," she compliments as she lifts a wrapped up Charlie onto her shoulder. "Although, it looks like you took just as much of a bath as she did."

Both girls chuckle while I look down at my soaked shirt. "Next time, I'll have to remember to bring a spare shirt," I say with a shrug. "Should I get her into her pajamas?"

Alice hands the baby over, and I step into the hall, not sure where to go.

"This one's her room," Bella says as she points to the door on my right. "I'll get some pajamas out for you."

"See, I can do this," I mutter quietly to Charlie as I follow Bella into the bedroom.

I look around, realizing this is the first time I've seen Charlie's room. The walls are a light lavender color with white trim. White furniture is accented with purple bedding that has flowers and butterflies on it. I immediately step over to what I now recognize as a changing table and place Charlie on the purple covered pad.

Unwrapping the towel from her body, I get a diaper on her as quickly as possible before we can have any incidents that would require returning to the bathtub. Thankfully, Charlie cooperates. Bella hands me a pair of pajamas, and I remind myself of how I got them off and on last time, repeating the process much easier this time.

I'm pretty proud of myself when I hold up a clean, clothed baby. I look over to Bella and see her smiling softly at me, equally as proud of my accomplishment.

"Do you want to give her a bottle before bed?" she asks quietly.

"Uh, sure," I say with a shrug. "Does she sleep in here?"

"She does now, since I'm not nursing her anymore."

I give her a sad smile, knowing that she's isn't happy with this turn of events, but taking the bottle from Alice when she brings it in.

"You can sit in the rocking chair," Bella offers. "I'm gonna turn down the lights. I want to get her used to some kind of nighttime routine. If she falls asleep, just put her in the crib."

I nod in understanding and take a seat in the chair while Bella dims the lights and leaves the room. Charlie happily drinks from her bottle while I rock us a bit.

Before long, her eyes are droopy and her sucking slows down. I pull the bottle from her mouth and she gives another suck, but doesn't complain when she realizes the bottle isn't there anymore. Her eyes stay closed while I continue to rock her for another minute.

I run a finger over her chubby cheek when I'm sure she's fully asleep. With a kiss to her forehead, I whisper, "Goodnight, sweet girl."

* * *

**A/N: So, Daddyward is making progress! Thank you once again for all of your wonderful reviews. Your love for this story still blows me away.**

**Don't forget to check out the Lyrics To Life contest. Entries will start posting soon. Even if you've never written anything before, we'd love to have your one shot!**

**Beachcomberlc is an amazing beta, but all mistakes are mine.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

I spend a lot of time during the rest of the week with Bella and Charlie, knowing that I'll be gone the following week. Mom promises to stop by and see them while I'm out of town since Alice will be going back to work.

Bella and I also spend more time getting to know each other. When she finally opens up about the death of her father, I allow her to cry on my shoulder for close to an hour while she tells me about him.

Tears—another first for me. The last two weeks have been full of firsts, between diapers and feedings and baths. But I guess that shouldn't surprise me, seeing how Bella seems to make me do a lot of things I normally wouldn't.

I still occasionally think back to our night together. I remember how drawn I was to her because of her shyness and innocence, but also because she was so different than all the other women. And kissing her—I remember not only kissing her, but _wanting_ to kiss her, which was also something that I never did before.

Regardless, I doubt we'll ever do any of that again. Not like I ever go back for seconds anyway.

On Thursday, I drive Bella and Charlie to Dad's office for Charlie's checkup. We're let in the employee entrance again and go straight to the exam room. Dad assures Bella that it's okay that she stopped nursing, that Charlie will be just fine. He's pleased with her growth and happy to hear that she's sleeping well.

He also compliments Bella, saying how much healthier she looks, and I have to agree with him. Over the last few days, I've noticed more color returning to her face and her increased energy. It must be all those leafy green meals that Mom made and left at Bella's house when she thought no one was paying attention.

Bella fills out the paperwork to amend Charlie's birth certificate, so as soon as the state processes it, I'll officially be a father. Not that I'm not right now, but it's still hard to think of myself as a daddy. I don't know … maybe seeing it on paper will make it more real.

More real than the screaming, squirming baby that Bella just handed to me.

I have no idea what's wrong with her right now. She's clean, fed and in her pajamas. Bella was trying to get her to go to sleep, but apparently gave up, seeing as the kid's now in my arms.

I do what I've been doing for the past few days. I walk around Charlie's room with her head on my shoulder and I sing. Somehow, it calms her down. After she falls asleep, I keep it up for a few more minutes just to be sure.

"Goodnight, Charlie," I whisper against the side of her head, placing a small kiss there. "I won't see you for a week, so be good for your mommy." I place her in the crib.

Turning to leave the room, I find Bella standing in the doorway.

"You're good with her," she says as I turn out the light and close the door behind me.

I shrug off her compliment. "It's just the singing that she seems to like."

She shakes her head. "You don't give yourself enough credit."

I look at her, shoving my hands in my pockets. "Thanks," I say with a nod. "Listen, I need to take off. I haven't packed yet and my flight leaves tomorrow afternoon."

"Of course," she agrees, turning to head for the stairs with the baby monitor in her hand. I noticed she's been taking the stairs more often in the last few days, so she must be feeling better. "I guess I'll see you sometime after you get back."

I wonder why this feels so awkward. I'm only leaving for a week, and it's not like I haven't travelled for much longer before. For some reason, I'm hesitant this time though.

"Yeah, uh … maybe I'll call you or text you during the week?" I don't know why I phrase it as a question.

"I'm sure you'll be busy, so it's okay if you can't."

"You could always call me," I offer as I grab my coat. "I mean, just to let me know how she's doing." I rub the back of my neck before running my hand through my hair.

"Sure, Edward. Have a safe trip," she says as I put my coat on.

"Goodnight." Without thought, I reach out and hug her quickly before turning around and slipping out the door.

The flight to LA passes quickly, thanks to Emmett and his antics. He certainly keeps things lively when we travel together. If I didn't know him better, I would have thought he was drunk when he repeatedly asked the flight attendant for various mini bottles of liquor, telling her they weren't what he asked for each time she brought one out. She took it all in stride though, seeing as we were in first class and the flight attendants will do pretty much anything for you. Thankfully, Rose eventually put a stop to his craziness.

We're swarmed by paps when we exit the airport, but that's to be expected in LA. Not to mention that it wouldn't be a surprise to find out that Aro tipped them off to increase the hype of the upcoming album. At least he arranged security as well, and we're whisked off into a limo and taken straight to our hotel without incident.

Monday and Tuesday are uneventful, and we complete basic photo promos and magazine interviews. On Wednesday morning we do a stint with a local radio station at the LA Zoo. The DJ asks us the typical questions about our inspiration for the new album and when we'll be touring. Everything goes well until he starts in on the personal questions.

"We all know that Emmett and Rose have been a couple for quite some time," Tyler states. "Our listeners want to know if they'll be hearing wedding bells anytime soon."

Emmett responds in his typical evasive but humorous style. "Well, Tyler, I'm sure wedding bells can be heard at any number of local churches."

Tyler chuckles and moves on. "How about you, Edward? You've become known as quite the playboy. Is there one lucky lady out there who's captured your attention?"

I don't know why, but my hands are suddenly sweaty. I keep my voice steady as I provide my best ambiguous answer. "Sorry, Tyler, but I don't kiss and tell." I give him my best smirk.

After that, we thankfully move back onto the topic of our music, and the rest of the interview goes smoothly.

We meet with two guys from the production company later that evening at Cleo Restaurant, a trendy, upscale establishment at Hollywood and Vine. Aro and Marcus also join us. When Stephan and Vladimir arrive, there is a young woman trailing along behind them. She looks like a typical LA woman—too heavily made up, enhanced lips and breasts, and clothes that appear to be a size too small.

A month ago, I probably would have been all over her in the restroom.

Greetings are exchanged in the form of handshakes, while the woman stands by quietly until Aro pulls her forward.

"I'd like you all to meet my daughter, Heidi," he says proudly. "She's interning at Twilight Productions here in LA, so I thought it would be nice for her to meet you." He mostly looks at me, though I'm not sure why.

Emmett steps forward and greets Heidi in his typical, boisterous way. "Heidi, Heidi, Heidi," he says, picking her up and giving her a bear hug. "Welcome to the family! I'm sure Steph and Vlad will take good care of you."

Both men cringe at the nicknames Emmett knows they hate, but since we're the talent, they refrain from correcting him.

"It's nice to meet you, Emmett," Heidi replies once he puts her down. "Rose." She holds her hand out. Rose gives her a tight smile while shaking her hand before Heidi turns to me. "Edward," she purrs while batting her lashes in my direction.

"Nice to meet you," I say with a forced smile. If it wasn't enough that we have Aro's nephew as our PA—not that Marcus is a bad guy—now we have to have his daughter on the team, too.

We all take seats around the table, and somehow I end up seated next to Heidi. Although these dinners are supposed to be about business, they typically become social gatherings instead. Tonight is no different. After all of five minutes of discussion on the upcoming album release, Stephan starts talking about his latest girlfriend.

The alcohol is flowing freely, and since I really have no interest in these guys or anything they're saying, I enjoy several beers throughout dinner. I notice that Heidi's chair is occasionally getting closer to mine, and we're now so close that she's rubbing her arm up against mine. I quietly move over to put a little space between us.

I'm not even really paying attention to the conversation, so I'm caught off guard when Aro makes a suggestion he claims would be good for the band. "You know, Edward, it might be good for you to be seen with the same woman a few times to counteract any bad publicity that might come from your little situation."

I know exactly what "little situation" he's referring to, and I see red that he's even bringing it up in front of these people. "There's nothing that needs to be handled, Aro," I say through gritted teeth. "And, the last thing I would need is to be seen with someone else."

"I disagree," he says confidently. "In fact, I think my Heidi would be the perfect woman to distract from your other issues."

So now he's whoring out his own daughter? Oddly enough, the smile on her face shows that she's not the least bit opposed to this idea.

Rather than arguing with him and having to tell the rest of the table what Aro's talking about, I drop my napkin on my plate and stand up from the table, my chair squeaking loudly against the hardwood floor. "You know what? I'm done here. Thanks for dinner, guys," I say to Stephan and Vladimir. "Emmett, Rose, I'll see you in the morning."

I turn tail and storm out of the restaurant. Leaning up against the wall of the building, I take a few minutes to calm my breathing in the cool, night air. My eyes are closed with my head leaning back against the wall when I hear an apologetic voice.

"He didn't mean to make you mad," Heidi says. When I open my eyes, she's standing right in front of me.

I scoff. "Of course he did."

"I don't know what's going on, but he just told me he thought you could use some fun and asked if I'd take you out while you were in town."

"Trust me, that's the last thing I need right now."

"I'm sorry about that. I thought I was helping," she says with a small smile.

I take another deep breath and let it out. "It's not your fault." Looking around, I see a taxi stand down the street a bit. "Listen, I really need to get out of here."

"I understand. It was nice meeting you."

"You, too." She leans in and hugs me, so I return the gesture quickly before making my escape.

When I arrive at the hotel, there are a few paps waiting by the entrance to snap my picture. I pass them quickly with my head down and walk inside, avoiding eye contact with any other hotel patrons. I get to my room and toss my jacket on a chair, plopping down on the couch in front of the TV. Normally when we're in LA, Em, Rose and I hit up some clubs and have a good time. Unfortunately, that's the last thing I should do right now.

I channel surf until I can't stand it anymore, finding nothing on TV that is able to hold my attention. I start to feel caged in, like I can't breathe, sitting in the hotel room with nothing to do, so I get up and pace. The little living room is not nearly enough space as I go back and forth in about four strides, one hand firmly planted in my hair and tugging.

I'm about ready to grab my jacket and go find the nearest club to get rid of some of this pent up energy when my phone chimes with an incoming text. I rush over to the table where I left it and nearly knock it to the floor in an attempt to pick it up. When I unlock the screen, I find a text from Bella.

It's a picture of Charlie sleeping in her crib in yellow pajamas with a monkey on the side. Her little fist is shoved in her mouth. The message attached says, "Charlie says goodnight."

And just like that, my night is not so terrible anymore.

* * *

**A/N: Don't forget that the teaser for Monday's chapter will be posted on Saturday on Twilight Fic Zone. Thank you for all the reviews, alerts and favorites. If you're not signed in or have your PMs turned off, I can't respond to your review, but I read and cherish every single one.**

**Beachcomberlc makes my story better, but all mistakes are mine.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

We return from LA late on Saturday night, and I collapse into my familiar, comfortable bed without giving a thought to the rest of the world. I sleep soundly throughout the night, but wake up with a desperate need to relieve some tension. It's been almost three weeks since the debacle at Eclipse, and though I could have hooked up and been more discreet about it, I just haven't even had an itch to find an easy lay lately. That leaves me with morning wood, my right hand and the shower.

I start stroking myself almost as soon as I step under the hot spray, closing my eyes and dropping my head back as the powerful showerheads cover my body in the relaxing stream of water. My mind wanders through various visions I've collected throughout the years, unable to settle on any one thing that will enhance this experience. I grab the soap and lather up my hand before gliding it back over my cock, twisting each time I reach the tip. The combination of heat from the shower and slickness from the soap makes me groan out loud.

I continue to search for the perfect vision to tip me over the edge, but all I'm able to see is flashes of the petite brunette that has been invading my dreams lately. I try to focus on her as the pace of my fist picks up. I see her body from the back and my eyes glide over her lean, muscular legs, up her curvy hips and settle on her thick, wavy hair.

I squeeze myself harder as I keep stroking, and in my mind I reach out a hand to touch her hair. Before I can reach the silky tresses, she turns around and smiles devilishly at me.

"_Ah, ah, ah, Edward," Bella taunts, wagging a finger in my face. "No touching."_

I come with a sudden force that startles me, and I spew a string of curses until my knees are about to give out. Collapsing against the wall as I catch my breath, I bang my head against it a few times for good measure.

What. The fuck. Was that?

Eventually, I gather myself together enough to take an actual shower and then rush through my morning routine, now eager to go visit Charlie since I haven't seen her in so long.

"Hey, Edward. How are you?" Alice asks as she invites me in the house when I finally arrive. She's more dressed up than I'm used to seeing her.

"I'm good. You going somewhere?" I hang my coat on the hook by the door as I step inside.

She gives me a smile. "I'm meeting Jasper for lunch," she says shyly.

My eyebrows lift in surprise. "A date?"

"I guess you could say that." She bites the inside of her cheek and shrugs. "We've been talking all week, so we finally decided to get together today."

"That's nice," I say with a nod. "Have a good time."

"Thanks." She glances at the stuffed animal in my hand and smiles. "Bella's upstairs. See you later," she says before turning and leaving the way I just came.

I head up the stairs and hear Bella's voice coming from her bedroom. As I round the corner, I see her on the floor through the open door. "You're a good girl, aren't you? Yes, you are. Mommy loves you," she says with a kiss to Charlie's belly.

I stand in the doorway and watch her sitting with Charlie, who is lying on a mat with some toys hanging above her. As I listen to Bella's words, it dawns on me that I have never told Charlie that I love her. The words flow from Bella so easily, though I am uncomfortable even thinking them.

Do I love her? I have no idea what it actually means to love a child. I've never loved anyone other than my parents before, and it's not an easy concept to grasp. Maybe with time I'll be able to be certain of what I feel for my daughter.

Eventually I clear my throat and gain Bella's attention. She smiles brightly at me but continues talking to Charlie. "Look who's here, baby girl. Daddy's here to see you."

Hearing Bella use the title so easily also makes me uncomfortable. Yes, I know I'm Charlie's father. But from my experience, the title of Daddy is one that you earn, not one that's given to you by birthright. And I know I haven't done anything to earn that yet.

I set my discomfort aside as I step into the room and sit on the floor next to Bella, watching as Charlie's eyes draw over to me for a moment before returning to the toys hanging above her.

"Whatcha got there, little one?" I ask, batting one of the toys and making it rattle. "You like the sounds?"

"They say that babies can only really see black, white and red," Bella explains of the hanging toys. "She does seem to like this." The mat is a mixture of the three colors, and most of the hanging toys are patterned in black and white.

I hold up the purple monkey in my hand with a shrug. It's wearing a T-shirt that says "LA Zoo" on it. "Maybe she'll like this when she's older," I offer, unsure of my gift.

Bella's eyes go wide in exaggeration as she talks to Charlie again in her sing song voice. "I think Daddy brought you a present from his trip. What do you think, Charlie?" She takes the monkey from me and holds it in front of the baby, touching it to her nose and then backing off a few times while making some silly noise.

"We, uh … did a promo at the zoo, and I just thought it was cute."

"It's great," Bella assures me. "We can hang it from the bracket of the shelf in her room." She opens and closes its Velcro hands in explanation.

We spend the afternoon together, and it's pretty enjoyable. I hadn't expected to miss Charlie as much as I did, but I'm glad to be home—well, here with Charlie.

I expect Monday to be more of the same. I'm trying to spend as much time with Charlie as I can before rehearsals and touring start, so I'm surprised when I get the cold shoulder from Bella when I enter the house.

"Something wrong?" I ask, following her into the kitchen after she walks away from me without a word.

"Nope," is all she responds.

"Can I help with something?" She's only putting together a sandwich, but maybe there's something I can do since I assume Charlie's sleeping.

She just shakes her head and turns around so I'm left staring at the back of her head.

This is one of the reasons I don't do relationships. I will never understand women.

Clearly, something is wrong. If she'd just tell me what it is, I'm sure we could deal with it. Instead, I sigh and leave the room, knowing I'm not going to get anywhere at this rate.

I sit in the living room, scrolling through my phone for something to do. I'm completely bored after only two games of Candy Crush. Deciding to make myself productive, I go on the internet to see if the promos from last week created any hype about the upcoming album.

It only takes one click to figure out what Bella's pissed about.

The first link I come to shows two pictures from last week, but they're not promo shots. One is a picture of the back of me, sitting at the table at Cleo. Heidi is next to me—I mean, _very_ next to me. She's practically in my lap. The next picture is of us hugging outside of the restaurant.

With a deep sigh, I click the link to find out what lies are being told about me. The headline reads "Popular Playboy Finally Settles Down."

"_Rumor has it that one of the hottest playboys in the music business is finally off the market. Edward Cullen, lead singer and guitarist for Breaking Dawn, was seen several times last week with this black-haired beauty. Sources have been unable to confirm who the lucky lady is, but Cullen sure did seem cozy with her. They cuddled up during a dinner at Cleo Restaurant before embracing outside the popular eatery …"_

I stop reading, knowing that every word in that article is untrue. Deciding not to let this shit linger, I head back into the kitchen to confront Bella.

"Is this what you're pissed about?" I ask, holding my phone in front of her face.

She glances at it and then looks away quickly, too quickly, so I know she's seen the article before. "I told you, everything's fine, Edward."

"And, clearly you're lying."

"Your personal life is none of my business," she says flatly, almost robotically as if she's trained herself to say it. "As long as it's not about you fucking someone in the alley, it's your business if you have a girlfriend." She looks down and starts picking at the bread of her sandwich, dropping the little pieces on the side of her plate.

"Bella," I sigh, sitting down opposite her at the table. I try to soften my tone so she knows I'm not upset with her. "Not a word of that article is true."

She shrugs. "The pictures looked pretty real," she starts, but then shakes her head. "But it's not my business anyway."

"The pictures _are_ real," I admit. "But do you remember me telling you that you can't believe everything that's written?" When she nods, I continue, holding up my phone. "This is completely taken out of context." I go on to explain the truth of what happened, who the woman is and why she was hugging me. I emphasize the fact that I went back to my hotel _alone_ that night. I'm not sure what compels me to add my final statement. "I haven't even been with anyone since the night I found out about Charlie."

She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions and I definitely shouldn't have been upset about it." She lets out a bitter laugh. "This is why I never used to read that crap. I promise, I won't do it again."

"Just talk to me, okay?" I ask, taking her hand across the table. "I think that would make this a lot easier for both of us."

"Yeah, okay. But I really don't have any right to be prying into your personal life."

"No, Bella." I squeeze her hand to get her to look at me. "You were right the first time we talked about this. All this shit affects Charlie, so you have a right to know what's going on. Honestly, if you were dating someone, I'd want to know about it. I'd want to know who was coming around my kid," I say with a shrug.

She nods and pulls her hand back, picking at her bread again. "I guess the same goes for me. You know, that I'd want to know who you're bringing around."

I let her know that I agree—not that I expect to bring anyone around Charlie since I don't do relationships. For once, we seem to be on the same page. "Are we okay?" I ask.

She gives me a small smile. "Yeah."

"Good, then eat," I instruct.

Just then, my phone rings. I answer it when I see that it's Emmett.

"What's up, Em?"

"Rose said to tell you to turn on channel ninety-five. She was watching one of those gossip shows, and they said there would be breaking news about you coming up after the commercials." I hear Rose in the background but can't make out what she's saying. "I know, Rosie. I'm telling him."

"It's probably more bullshit about Heidi," I tell Emmett as I walk toward the den where I know there's a TV. I turn it on and flip to the right channel, sitting down on the couch while I wait for the commercials to end.

"I don't know, man. Rose said something about information leaked through an anonymous source."

"Why does she even watch these shows?" I ask him rhetorically.

The show comes back on, and the blonde hostess gets right down to business as soon as the intro music ends. There's a picture of me on the screen as she starts talking.

"_Music industry's Most Eligible Bachelor has a new title—Most Eligible Daddy."_

"Fuck," I mutter, listening as she continues.

"_An anonymous source has reported that Edward Cullen of Breaking Dawn recently became a father. We don't have any details at this time about the child or its mother, but this is not the first time there have been rumors about a child due to Edward's promiscuity."_

Bella enters the room and her eyes go wide as she hears the words coming from the television.

"_But you know what they say … the third time's the charm! We'll bring you more details as they come in …"_

I turn the TV off, not needing to hear anything else. Sighing into the phone, I tell Emmett I'll call him back later.

"Please tell me you had nothing to do with that," I plead to Bella.

She stands frozen, still staring at the blank TV until my words register. Her gasp and eyes widening tell me all I need to know. "Of course not!" she yells.

I grab her hand and pull her down on the couch next to me. "I didn't think so, but I just had to ask. I'm sorry."

She shakes her head. "What do we do?" she asks in a small voice.

"I don't know," I say with a sigh. "I guess our options are pretty limited. We can either continue hiding and wait to be found out, or we can come clean."

"What happens if we don't say anything?"

Both of my hands bury in my hair and tug. "I'll get followed everywhere I go, which means that I won't be able to come here without someone spotting me. You'd be able to bring Charlie to me, because the paps can't get past the gates of my community, but I'll never be able to go out with her."

"And how bad will it be if you make a statement or something?"

"Oh, it'll still be bad," I tell her honestly. "The paps will still want to get a shot of her, and they'll dig into your life. They'll probably be camped outside your door for a little while. But hopefully it will die down faster that way, especially if we give them what they want."

"And what's that?"

"I don't know … pictures, information?" I sigh and drop my head to the back of the couch. "I just wish we were able to do this on our time, you know?"

"Do you have any idea who could have done this?" she asks quietly.

I shake my head. "We could have been seen by another patient at Dad's office, or maybe the person who handled her birth certificate paperwork noticed my name. Fuck, for all I know, my manager could have done it!" There's a scary thought, and if I ever get any proof that it was him, I'll ruin his name in the business.

Bella picks my hand up from my lap and holds it in both of hers. Her quiet comfort is somehow reassuring.

"I guess it doesn't matter how it happened. We'll just have to deal with it now," she says softly.

I sigh and lift my head, looking at her calm expression. "Yeah, whatever comes our way, we'll deal with it together."

* * *

**A/N: It had to come out sometime! Thank you all for your awesome reviews. The popularity of this story still amazes me. I am so thankful that you enjoy it so much!**

**The new website Fictease dot com will start posting teasers this Tuesday! My normal Tuesday teaser will be posted there from now on, but I'll also post the link on Facebook and Twitter. See you on Wednesday with the next chapter.**

**Beachcomberlc is an amazing beta, but all mistakes are mine.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

After a lot of discussion, Bella and I decide that our best course of action will be to issue a statement, hoping that will satisfy the media's curiosity for a while. I am pretty sure that it won't make much difference, at least not at first, and I can only hope that Bella knows what she is in for.

Jenks comes over to Bella's house on Tuesday with a woman named Zafrina from the PR department of his law firm. Since I don't trust Aro after he tried to pimp out his daughter to me, I decided to make sure everyone involved is only looking out for the best interests of Bella, Charlie and me. Besides, this is a personal matter and has nothing to do with the band.

Zafrina is a tall, beautiful Brazilian woman with a no-nonsense attitude who clearly knows her stuff. She speaks frankly with Bella, explaining in more detail what she can expect once her name is released. We all agree that it will be best to give her name rather than have the paps try to dig up the information.

Bella is visibly concerned, but holds her head high and stays strong throughout the discussion. I'm actually proud of her, and wrap my arm around her shoulders to show her my support.

"I'm sorry it's come to this," I murmur in her ear while Jenks and Zafrina are working on the statement.

"It's not your fault, Edward. I knew things could get crazy from the minute I found out I was pregnant. Now, we just have to deal with it."

"I just wish I didn't have to subject you and Charlie to the craziness of my life," I say regretfully.

"We'll handle it together," she reminds me softly.

Just before noon the following day, Zafrina releases our statement. I don't know how these people do it, but within an hour, Bella's street is lined with paps. I grow more and more frustrated by the minute as I look out the window and see the crowd continuing to grow.

"All right, this is ridiculous," I say to Bella, who is doing her best to ignore what's going on outside. "Pack some stuff for you and Charlie. I'm gonna take you guys to my house for a few days until this cools down."

"Do you really think that's a good idea?"

"Have you seen the circus outside?" I ask incredulously. "Alice won't even be able to get home from work."

"But you don't even have a place for Charlie to sleep," Bella argues.

"Um, actually …" I rub the back of my neck in nervousness. "My mom kind of set up a room for her while I was away last week. There's a crib and some other stuff at my house."

"Oh," is all she says, looking surprised.

"I'm parked in the garage—which was brilliant thinking, by the way—so you and Charlie can get in the back of the car without anyone seeing you. Hopefully, once my car leaves the street, the paps will leave, too."

"Are you sure? I don't want to—"

"Bella, I'm sure," I cut her off. "Just think of it this way … for once, you can subject me to the middle-of-the-night feedings."

She finally cracks a smile and agrees. When she gets up to start packing things, I ask her what I can do to help. She ticks off a bunch of stuff that Charlie will need, so I get started gathering everything.

Two hours later, we have a shitload of stuff packed into the back of my SUV. Bella hands me the garage door opener from her car before climbing into the back seat next to Charlie. I instruct Bella to stay low in her seat, thankful for the dark tinted windows of my car.

The frenzy begins as soon as the garage door starts to open. I can hear the low murmur of the paps tossing their questions out even through the closed car windows, and the camera flashes are nearly as blinding as a red carpet event.

"Oh my God," Bella says quietly from the back seat.

"Some of them may follow us," I warn. "But they won't be able to get past the gate of my community."

After that, the car ride is nearly silent until we reach my house. I pull the car into the garage and close the door before either of us get out, just in case a lone photographer was able to get inside the gates. I let Bella in with Charlie and tell her to make herself at home while I grab the bags.

"Follow me," I tell her once I have everything inside. "Um, it's a pretty standard layout." I point out some rooms as we walk through the house, and I take the car seat carrier out of her hands when we reach the stairs.

I show her first to Charlie's room, and she gasps as we enter. "It's beautiful, Edward," she compliments.

"Yeah, my mom did all of it. I wouldn't have even known where to start." I shrug and put the carrier on the floor, unbuckling Charlie and taking her out carefully so she doesn't wake up. "Can you figure out how to work that monitor?" I ask as I place the baby in the crib.

Once we get Charlie settled, I take Bella to the guest room and tell her I'll bring her stuff up. I point out my bedroom across the hall, in case she needs me for anything. We order takeout for dinner since I have no food in the house, and the evening passes quietly.

With Charlie in bed, I change into some pajama pants and an undershirt and tell Bella I'll be in the media room if she wants to join me to watch a movie. About ten minutes later, she walks into the room and my breath stops.

There is no reason I should find a woman in simple pajamas so enticing considering the types of women I've gone for in the past, but somehow Bella makes the pink T-shirt and cotton pants look like perfection. Her hair is pulled back from her face and she's biting her lip as she looks at me sitting on the overstuffed couch.

"Hi," she says shyly.

I give her a smile and invite her to pick out a movie, which she does quickly before taking a seat next to me. We watch in silence for a while, though my eyes continually drift to her profile. The air in the darkened room feels charged, and eventually I force myself to move away from her a bit to avoid acting on my horny impulses while my mind recalls my shower fantasy with perfect clarity.

As I promised, I get up with Charlie when she wakes during the night. It doesn't take long to feed her, change her and get her back to sleep each time, but the interrupted sleep definitely leaves me feeling wiped out in the morning. I don't know how Bella still functions each day.

Alice lets Bella know that the number of paps on their street has dwindled slightly, but there's still a fair number of them camped out. I convince Bella to stay for another night, hoping that the frenzy will die down even more by the next day.

Mom stops by during the day to visit with Charlie and bring me some food. She stocks up my freezer, as she tends to do from time to time, so I'll have plenty of food to heat up when needed. That helps immensely, considering I didn't have much to offer Bella while she's here.

Instead of watching a movie that night, Bella and I end up in the music room. We chat about what types of music we like, and I play some artists for her that she hasn't heard before. It's actually a very enjoyable evening, and I find out we have a lot in common.

"So, be honest with me," I start with a smirk. "Were you really a Breaking Dawn fan when you came to the concert?"

She laughs at my question. "I was … I am. I guess I'm just not the type of fan who normally would go to an autograph session," she admits, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"Yeah, I'm starting to understand that." Maybe I shouldn't have brought up the topic of that night, since now we're both uncomfortable. We've never really discussed it. Perhaps it's better that way.

"I think I'm gonna go to sleep," she tells me, effectively ending the conversation.

As I'm lying in bed later on, I can't help but replay the night Bella and I met in my head. I remember the feeling of being drawn to her, like there was no other option but to have her, and then once I did have her I actually wanted more. When I think back to last night while we watched the movie, it feels like that same pull was there between us. I wonder if she ever feels the same.

Something wakes me up during the night, and it takes a minute or so to realize that I'm hearing Charlie through the baby monitor. I drag myself out of bed and head down to the kitchen to warm up a bottle of formula. By the time I reach Charlie's room, Bella's already in there changing her diaper.

"Sorry," I say. "I just wanted to get the bottle ready. Sorry that I let her wake you."

She shrugs one shoulder as she closes up Charlie's pajamas. "It's okay. I'm used to it."

Bella takes the crying baby off the changing table, and instead of handing her to me, she sits down in the rocking chair. "I can feed her," she offers, reaching for the bottle. "No sense in both of us being up."

"Are you sure?"

She nods and takes the bottle from me, giving it to a very hungry baby who begins to gulp it down immediately.

I turn down the light before I leave the room, leaving the door open a few inches so I'll hear if Bella needs anything. I sigh as I stand in the hall, my thoughts drifting back to that pull I feel toward Bella. Instead of heading back to my bedroom, I lean up against the opposite wall where I can see into Charlie's room.

Bella's head is down as she watches the baby. She rocks slowly in the chair and talks quietly to our daughter. Even with sleep lines on her face and half closed eyes, she's breathtaking; the love she has for our child makes her that much more beautiful.

I watch until Bella has Charlie ready to go back to sleep. She walks around the room with the baby on her shoulder for another minute before kissing the side of her head and putting her in the crib. I know I should get back to my room before Bella comes into the hall, but my feet feel like they're glued to the spot.

Bella exits the room quietly and gasps. "You startled me."

"Sorry," I whisper, my eyes locking on hers.

The house is so quiet at the late hour, the only sound our breathing in the otherwise empty hallway. The air feels thick as our eyes search each other. In my field of vision, I can see the rise and fall of Bella's chest quicken as her breathing picks up pace.

Once again, I wonder if she feels what I feel. There seems to be a magnet pulling me toward her, and every thought leaves my mind except for one.

Slowly, I push off the wall and take a careful step toward her. Her eyes haven't left mine in the seconds or minutes she's been standing there. With another half step, I'm inches from her body, and it feels like all the air has been sucked out of the hallway.

My hands come up to gently cup her jaw, and I watch as her pink tongue peeks out to lick her lips. In a subconscious response, I do the same as my face inches down toward hers. I meet her lips with my own, soft and gentle, just touching, testing. Bella's lips remain still, but she doesn't push away.

Angling my head, I deepen the kiss, taking her bottom lip into my mouth and running my tongue over it. I feel her lips mold to mine in response before our tongues meet in the middle. They touch briefly and retreat, teasing and tasting until they become more demanding.

Suddenly, as if a switch is flipped, Bella's palms come up to my chest and push my body away, breaking what had become the most perfect kiss of my life.

* * *

**A/N: I've said it before but I'll say it again. I am completely blown away by the response to this story. Never in a million years did I think we'd pass 3,000 reviews for the whole story, let alone with twenty chapters.**

**The teaser for Friday's chapter will be posted tonight on Fic Central, and I'll post the link on Facebook and Twitter on Thursday.**

**Don't forget to check out the Lyrics To Life contest. Entries have been posted! Go read them and get ready to vote. Writers, there's still time to get your entry in.**

**Beachcomberlc is a wonderful beta, but I constantly fiddle with the chapters so all mistakes are mine.**

**See you Friday!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

As soon as Bella pushes me away, she runs to her room and closes the door.

"Fuck," I mutter under my breath. Kissing her just became the biggest mistake I've ever made. So how come it also felt like one of the best moments of my life?

Knowing I need to fix this fast, before we let it get out of hand, I take the few steps to Bella's door and knock.

"Bella?" I call out quietly. "Can we talk for a minute?"

I can barely make out her response. "Not now, Edward."

My forehead drops to the door. "Please?" I sigh, waiting for a response.

A moment later, the door opens, startling me. Bella steps back and allows me to enter the room, so I lean up against a dresser and cross my arms, not wanting to make her uncomfortable by sitting on the bed.

With a deep breath, I start speaking. "I'm sorry about that." I stop and shake my head, realizing that's not right. "No, I'm not sorry about that. I'm not sorry for kissing you. I'm attracted to you and I wanted to kiss you. I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable though. I just … I thought …" I sigh and look at the floor, not really having the words to explain.

"I'm sorry, too, Edward." Her voice is so quiet, I'm not sure if I was supposed to hear that.

My head snaps up. "What? What are you sorry for?"

"You weren't wrong," she admits. "I wanted it, too. But we can't." Her head shakes sadly.

"Why not?"

She blows out a big breath. "If we're going to be good parents, we need to get along. Any kind of romantic relationship could ruin that between us. Besides, you're admittedly not exactly a relationship type of guy, so this would be doomed from the start."

Rubbing a hand on the back of my neck, I think over her words briefly and sigh. "How'd you get to be so mature at only twenty-four?" I ask sarcastically, huffing out a laugh. "You're right. We need to be responsible."

She gives me a sad smile and nods. "Friends still?" she asks with her eyebrows raised.

"Of course," I confirm, taking the two steps over to the bed where she's seated. I sit down and hug her from the side. "Friends."

This doesn't mean that I won't ever want to kiss her again, but I realize that she's right and we have to put Charlie first. I don't know who I was kidding anyway. I don't do relationships, so I have no idea where I thought that kiss was going to take us. Aside from my bed.

Bella and I easily slip back into our roles the next morning, our kiss swept under the rug but not forgotten, at least not by me. I'm almost sad to take her and Charlie home two days later when Alice tells us that the hype has died down at the house.

I warn them that there will still be paps lingering, even if they don't see them, and it's likely that they'll be photographed at one point or another. I explain to both Bella and Alice that they'll need to develop somewhat of a thick skin because things will probably be printed about them that aren't true.

The following week, I start rehearsals for Breaking Dawn's next tour, which is scheduled to kick off in two months. Right now, it's looking like it will be a three month tour, but I know how these things go. Shows are always added and things get drawn out.

I typically love touring. There's freedom on the road—plenty of women, partying and late nights. This time, all of that doesn't seem too appealing. I already missed Charlie when I was only gone for a week, so how am I going to feel when I'm not here for three months?

Bella and I get into somewhat of a routine while rehearsals are going on. I spend a few evenings a week at her house getting more comfortable with my role as a father. I'm getting much better at bath time, though I still tend to get splashed quite a bit, but Charlie enjoys her baths so I try to take advantage of that.

One of the nights that I'm home, I get a phone call from Bella. We've developed an easy friendship over the last month since we kissed, so I'm not surprised to hear from her.

"Hey, what's up?" I say when the call connects.

There's silence on the line at first until I hear a sniffle. "Bella? Are you okay?"

"They had us surrounded," she says quietly.

"Where were you?" I ask with a sigh. Bella's only ventured out a few times on her own since she was released to drive, so it was bound to happen sooner or later.

"At the market. It was just Charlie and me."

"You both okay? No one touched you, did they?" I pinch the bridge of my nose as I flop down on the couch in the media room.

"We're fine. They were a little pushy, but it was mostly cameras flashing and people yelling. God, I couldn't even hear most of what they were saying to me."

"Trust me," I promise her. "It's better that way. You don't want to know some of the crazy shit that they'll yell to try to get a rise out of you."

"I didn't think we'd ever get out of the parking lot. Why the hell do they want pictures of me while I'm grocery shopping?"

I sigh. "They want whatever pictures they can get of you and Charlie. I'm really sorry, Bella. Do you want me to come over?"

She blows out a noisy breath. "No, I'm okay. I just didn't really even understand what was going on. But I guess I'll be more prepared next time."

"I wish it didn't have to be this way," I say quietly.

"It is what it is, and I'll just have to learn how to deal with it. I'm sure it'll get easier now that I know what to expect."

"Just … do me a favor," I beg. "Don't go online and look for those pictures. You know they're going to make up some ridiculous shit, and it's better to not even read it."

"I won't, I promise. I wouldn't want to see those pictures anyway. It's not like I get dressed up to go to the market, and I'm sure they'll publish the most unflattering pictures that they can find."

"Please, Bella. You're beautiful no matter what." She's silent for a moment, and I want to kick myself for making her uncomfortable. "Bella, I—"

"Thank you," she says in a small voice, cutting off my apology. "I have to go."

Before I can even respond, the line goes dead. I really hope I haven't ruined all of the progress we've made. I was only telling the truth. Bella is a beautiful person, inside and out.

That's not the last time Bella has a run-in with paps, but she handles it with grace each time, keeping her head up and providing a polite "no comment" while going about her business.

About two weeks later, I invite Bella over to my house so Emmett and Rose can meet Charlie. I've been surprised by how much they've been bugging me to meet my daughter, but we've been friends for a long time and they insist they want to be part of Charlie's life, too. She's already two and a half months old, so I figure it's time for them to meet.

At first, Bella declines the invitation, saying it would be okay with her if I just took Charlie for the night since she knows I'll be leaving for the tour in a few weeks anyway. I have a feeling that she thinks it will be uncomfortable to meet my friends, but I assure her that I want her there also.

"Thanks for coming," I say to Bella as she comes in the door. I give her a quick hug and take Charlie's car seat from her hand. "Emmett and Rose are in the media room."

Bella takes off her jacket and then follows me. "Guys, this is Bella," I introduce. "Bella, this is Emmett and Rosalie." I know she met them at the autograph signing almost a year ago, but I doubt either of them remembers her from that night.

Bella gives a shy smile and tentative wave as I put Charlie's car seat down and unbuckle her. She gives me a gummy smile when I lift her out. I'm starting to feel like she actually recognizes me when she sees me, which is nice, but makes me worry about when I'm away. Will she forget me in the three or so months that I'm gone?

Pushing that thought aside for now, I turn her around and hold her up for my friends. "And, this little munchkin is Charlotte Alice Swan, also known as Charlie."

For the first time, I get a twinge of resentment that my daughter doesn't even share my last name, that I had no input on her name at all. I know it's not Bella's fault. She did everything she could to get in touch with me. She even once showed me the stack of letters she received from the fan club. But still, it'll probably always hurt a bit now that I am involved in Charlie's life.

Emmett breaks me from my musings by grabbing the baby out of my hands. "She's way too pretty to be your daughter, Edward," he jokes. He's seen plenty of pictures of her before. "I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that she gets her looks from you, Bella. Well, except the hair."

Bella snickers. "I'm pretty sure she'll have Edward's eyes, too."

"Better get a shotgun, Edward," Rose adds. "She's gonna have boys all over her when she gets older."

Rose takes Charlie from Emmett as I offer Bella a drink. She declines the beer I offer, explaining that she's a lightweight drinker, but I convince her to relax and enjoy herself for once. I remind her that she can always stay in my guestroom, and I'm more than capable of taking care of Charlie for the night. She sits down on the opposite couch, quietly sipping her beer, but Em and Rose do their best to draw her into the conversation. They end up getting along great once Bella starts giving snappy comebacks to Emmett's teasing.

I sit back and watch, enjoying the fact that these two separate parts of my life are merging together so nicely. It's not that I didn't expect my friends to accept Bella and Charlie, but more that the former represent my partying days, which appear to be long gone right now. I'm sure some of that will change once we're on the road again, although I have a feeling that I'll be missing Charlie while I'm gone—and Bella, too.

Charlie eventually gets a little restless, and Emmett suggests that I get my acoustic guitar and play something for her after Bella tells him how my singing tends to calm her down. It takes me a minute to figure out what to play since most of our original songs aren't exactly soothing, but I settle on The Boss' "When You Need Me," deciding that it perfectly sums up how I feel for Charlie. I may still be unsure about my role as a father, but I know without a doubt that I'll always be there for her, and most importantly, I'd miss her if she wasn't in my life.

From Bella's arms, Charlie's eyes focus on me as soon as I start strumming the strings. She watches intently once I start singing.

_When you need me  
__Call my name  
_'_Cause without you  
__My life just wouldn't be the same__  
_

_If you want me  
__Come sunny skies or rain  
__When you need me  
__Just call my name__  
_

I place the guitar on the floor leaning up against the couch. When I turn back to Charlie, she's smiling at me so I take her from Bella's arms. I cradle her body to my chest while her head burrows into my neck.

I don't know how I didn't realize it sooner, but I know for certain that the words I whisper against her cheek are true.

"I love you, baby girl. Daddy loves you."

* * *

**A/N: I don't own the lyrics to "When You Need Me." No copyright infringement is intended. If you have never heard Bruce Springsteen's "When You Need Me," you should definitely check it out on YouTube.**

**Some big revelations for Daddyward this chapter! The next teaser will be posted on Saturday on Twilight FicZone. I'll post the link on Facebook and Twitter, and I'll see you on Monday for the next chapter.**

**Special thanks to shannabanana1 for her review of Altered Measure on Mystic Lit Lounge. The link is posted on my Facebook wall if anyone wants to hear the podcast.**

**Don't forget to check out the entries for the Lyrics To Life contest.**

**Many thanks to Beachcomberlc. All mistakes are mine.**


	23. Chapter 23

**I have officially run out of words to say how awesome my readers are. Altered Measure was nominated for TWO TwiFic Fandom Awards – Favorite Snuggle Fic and Favorite Drop Everything Fic. A million thanks to whoever nominated this story.**

**Voting is open from now until November 3****rd**** at twificfandomawards dot blogspot dot com/p/vote dot html. There are tons of fun categories to vote for, and you can vote as many times as you want!**

**Now, on to Daddyward.**

* * *

**Chapter 23**

"You'll be all right without me, right?" I ask Bella the night before I'm due to leave for our tour. She was thoughtful enough to suggest bringing Charlie over for the night so I could say goodbye to my baby girl in the morning before I leave.

"Yeah, of course." She sits back on the couch and makes herself more comfortable, tucking her feet underneath her body.

"I mean, I know you have Alice and everything, but—" The look in her eyes stops me mid-sentence.

"Alice hasn't actually been around much since things started getting serious with Jasper," she admits with a shrug, playing it off like it's no big deal. But, she's starting back at work next week, and I know it will be a big deal to not have someone to help her out.

"So, what are you going to do?"

"Get used to being a single mom, I guess. I knew that's what I signed up for, so …"

Ah, my brave, independent Bella, always trying to play the hero. "You know you can call my mom any time. She'd be happy to babysit for a little while if you need to run some errands or just need some time for yourself. In fact, she'll probably be calling you just to visit anyway." My parents have seen Charlie a few times recently, but according to my mom, it's never enough.

Bella scrunches up her nose. "I'm sure I'll be fine."

I let the subject drop for the moment, knowing that Bella promised to send me pictures and stuff while I'm away. Hopefully I'll be able to keep tabs on how she's doing, also.

Charlie wakes us up bright and early the morning of my departure, which for once isn't a big deal since I have to leave early anyway.

"Don't forget about Daddy," I tell her as I change her diaper and snap up her onesie. "I'll be gone for a little while, but Mommy promised she'd show you my picture. Maybe you can hear my voice on the phone sometimes, too."

I pick her up and hug her to me, surprised by the stinging in my eyes at the thought of leaving her for so long. I take a few deep breaths to calm down, enjoying her clean, baby scent, before going downstairs and finding Bella in the kitchen.

She looks as naturally beautiful as always, with her hair piled up in a messy bun and wearing some comfortable looking pants and a tight T-shirt. "Breakfast will be ready in a minute," she tells me when she finds me standing there staring at her.

"You didn't have to do this, Bella," I say of the spread of food she already has on the table. I head to the refrigerator and get a bottle out for Charlie. "The princess eats first, though." I rub my nose against Charlie's, earning a smile. "Don't you, baby girl?"

"I just thought you might like some real food before you leave, since I'm sure you'll be eating a ton of takeout and room service while you're gone."

"Thank you." I sit down and let Charlie go to town on her formula.

One of her hands comes up and wraps around the bottle, not really holding it in place, but showing me she knows what's going on. I wonder how many little things like this I'll be missing. I can't imagine how much she'll change in three months, considering how much she's changed in the last three. Will she be holding the bottle on her own by the time I get back?

"Oh, I have something for you. Well, for Charlie," I tell Bella. "When you get a sec, there's a CD on the counter over there." I nod my head in the direction of the CD.

Bella plates the last of the pancakes she was working on and puts the spatula in the sink. Walking over to the other side of the kitchen, she picks up the disk.

"What's on here?"

"I, ah … recorded some songs for Charlie," I answer, looking down at the little girl in question. "I thought since my singing sometimes calms her down, it might be helpful." I lift a shoulder, letting her know that it's no big deal.

"Edward, thank you. I'm sure she'll love it." She puts the CD down and comes over to us, giving me a one-armed hug so she doesn't disturb Charlie, as well as a kiss on my cheek.

"I just hope it helps."

We eat breakfast together while Charlie has some tummy time with a few toys on a blanket on the floor. Before I know it, I've got the last of my bags by the door and there's a car out front waiting to take me to the airport.

"Call me, whenever, okay?" I say quietly, pulling Bella into a hug. It may not be the most appropriate hug for friends, but at this point, I don't care. I have a feeling I'm going to miss her almost as much as I'll miss my daughter.

Bella nods with her forehead pressed against my shoulder. I take one last deep breath, inhaling as much of her scent as I can, before releasing her and helping her put Charlie and their bags into her car while the hired driver loads my bags and guitars.

"Bye, baby girl. Be good for your mommy. I love you." I lean into Bella's car and kiss the top of Charlie's head, closing my eyes to fight the sting. Before I can embarrass myself, I close the door and pat the roof, stepping back to watch as Bella drives off.

The first week of the tour goes by without incident. Emmett, Rosalie and I quickly get back into the swing of things, playing our first five shows to sold-out crowds. Rose seems a bit off by the end of the week though, but she claims she just needs time to readjust to the hectic schedule. Frankly, I'm somewhat thankful, because with Rose exhausted, Emmett's too focused on taking care of her and has no interest in partying.

I try to take advantage of the earlier nights by getting up before noon—a relatively new experience for me when I'm on tour. Since the tour started on the East Coast, we're three hours ahead of Bella, which means that I'm able to talk or text with her before she begins working for the day.

So far, this routine is working out well. She sends me a picture or two at night, so it's waiting for me when I finish a show. We talk or text mostly in the mornings, but a few evenings also. There's not much going on in the life of a three month old that requires daily updates, so we've actually been chatting on more friendly terms.

I'll also admit to sneaking in a few questions to make sure she's doing okay, like the last one I just sent.

"_So, how was the first week back?"_

It's lunchtime on Saturday here, and I didn't get a chance to ask her about work last night.

"_A little more difficult than I expected to work with an infant, but thankfully my hours are flexible."_

I had a feeling it wasn't going to be as easy as she thought. She's too independent to take any help though. Not only would my mom love to help her out, even if it's just a few hours a week, but I'd hire a nanny for her if I thought she would accept it.

"_Was Alice home this week?"_

I was surprised when Bella admitted that Alice hadn't been around as much. I know Charlie isn't Alice's responsibility, but she promised her best friend that she'd help out. It seems like that went out the window after only two months, as soon as a guy came into the picture.

"_A few nights."_

I sigh and wonder if I can just tell my mom to go over anyway. She can always use the excuse that she wants to spend time with her granddaughter.

The second week brings more of the same, though I notice that Rose is looking a little worse for wear instead of getting her groove back. Emmett promises me that she's fine and just needs some time to recover from whatever bug has hit her system.

I can't help but wonder about how this tour differs so vastly from our previous tours. Although there are no late nights, parties or women, somehow I'm feeling just as burned out as my two best friends appear to be. I take to confiding in Bella over the phone one night when we don't have a show scheduled.

"I don't know, maybe we're all just ready to pack it in," I tell her. "Em and I are twenty-eight, and Rose is thirty. We've all been doing this for so long. It takes a toll on you, you know?"

"I can understand that," Bella says sympathetically. "But what would you do if you're not recording and touring anymore?"

I give a dry chuckle. "Who knows?" I admit with a shrug, not that she can see it. "It's not like I really _have_ to work. We've certainly earned enough, and royalties will be coming in for years down the road. Heck, I've barely even spent any of the money I've made from the band."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean, I bought my house and my car, but otherwise I live pretty simply. Other than paying for some help to keep up the house, I don't really have many expenses."

"I don't think I could ever stop working," Bella admits. "I wouldn't know what to do with myself. Charlie's not going to be an infant forever. What would I do when she goes to school?"

"I'd probably be bored, too, but I'm sure I could find something to keep me occupied. Eh, either way, it's a pipe dream right now. We still have to make it through this tour."

It feels nice to be able to talk to someone about this. It's not that I can't talk to Em and Rose, but they'd be biased. Bella is more like an impartial sounding board, one whose opinion I value more than I care to let on.

"Wait, did you just say you're twenty-eight?" Bella asks.

"Yeah …" I drag out the word and then sigh. I purposely didn't make a big deal of my birthday a few days ago.

"When was your birthday?"

"Three days ago," I admit.

"I'm sorry. I wish I had known." I can practically hear her pout through the phone. "Well, happy birthday anyway."

"Thanks."

As we're finishing lunch in a hotel restaurant a few days later, I get a video attached to a text from Bella. The text says, _"Look what I can do!"_

I press play on the video, making sure the sound is turned down so no one else will be able to hear it.

The video starts with an almost four-month-old Charlie on her stomach, holding her head up by leaning on her arms. I hear Bella's voice in the background. _"Let's show Daddy,"_ she says. _"Come on, Charlie."_

Bella's hand comes into the picture. She lifts a toy from one side of Charlie, catching the baby's attention, before moving it above her head and over to the other side of her body. As soon as the toy hits the floor, Charlie rolls onto her back with her head turned, looking for the toy. Then the video ends.

I don't know how long I continue to stare at the screen, lost in my thoughts.

"Everything okay, Edward?" Rose asks.

I look up at the concerned faces of my friends, almost having forgotten that they were there. "Yeah." I clear my throat. "Everything's fine. I need to go back to my room." I drop a few bills on the table before booking out of the restaurant.

I sit down on the bed in my hotel room and watch the video again. I know I should be happy about this, proud of my daughter for her accomplishment, but for some reason, the only thing I feel is regret. Regret that I'm not there to see it firsthand. If I were a good father, a true daddy, as I had come to accept myself as, I would be there for all of her "firsts."

Pulling my head out of my ass for a minute, I realize that I need to respond to Bella.

"_Thanks for the video. Very proud."_ It's all I can say without sounding as bitter as I feel about missing the experience.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for all of your reviews, alerts and favorites. You guys are the best! The next teaser will be posted on Fictease on Tuesday, and I'll see you on Wednesday with the chapter.**

**Don't forget to check out the entries for the Lyrics to Life contest. Search for author LyricsToLifeContest and put them on alert so you'll get notified when new entries post.**

**Thanks to beachcomberlc, but all mistakes are mine.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

A month and a half has passed since we started this tour. My daughter is now four and a half months old, and by the time I get back to Seattle, I'll have missed half of her entire life.

Bella sends me videos all the time these days because it seems that Charlie is always doing something new. She laughs now, can sit up on her own and even babbles cute little nothings to herself.

And I'm missing all of it.

My parents have seen Charlie a few times and even babysat for her. Who ever thought I'd be jealous of my own parents?

I've checked the tour schedule multiple times, hoping that one of these times it'll look different. But, nothing has changed. There is not enough time between shows for me to take any kind of break to go home. We only have a day off between some shows, and sometimes those days off are spent travelling.

This isn't anything new. It just has never been a problem before.

I drag my sullen ass into the shower to get ready for the day. We're leaving in a little while to travel the three hours or so from Pittsburgh, PA to Cleveland, OH. The tour bus stays mostly packed with our belongings except what we bring into the hotel for the few days we stay in one place, so there's no packing to be done. I only need to shower and get dressed. Living out of suitcases sucks.

I turn the water on as hot as it can go and brush my teeth while the bathroom steams up. Once I step into the foggy shower, my muscles begin to relax under the heat and pressure of the shower. I close my eyes and place both hands on the wall in front of me, dropping my head between them so the water can pound down onto my shoulders.

After a few deep breaths, my cock begins to stir as visions of a certain brown eyed beauty start filling my head. I've been fantasizing about Bella more and more over the last several months, and I'm not sure why. All I know is that she's been starring in my dreams, and no matter what else I try to think about, at the end of it all, she's what pushes me over the edge.

This time, the vision starts out tame. I picture Bella's soft smile and see her hair flowing over her shoulders in long, dark waves. But as my eyes drift down, I notice that her long hair is barely covering her naked breasts. One rosy nipple peeks through, taunting me with its tightness.

My cock twitches again and I give it a good tug while my mind continues to conjure up the image of Bella. I see the gentle curve of her hips and her flat stomach before my eyes settle on the small patch of dark hair between her legs that I remember feeling the one time we were together.

I groan out loud as I begin stroking myself, glad for the relief but still struggling with the fact that I fantasize about Bella at all. Regardless of whether I want it or not, my fantasy begins to come to life behind my eyes.

"_What do you want, Edward?" she asks seductively. Her hands skim down the sides of her body before resting at the tops of her thighs._

"_I want your mouth."_

_She gives me a wicked smile and a wink. "My pleasure."_

_The sight of her dropping to her knees in front of me is almost enough to do me in. When she takes me in her hand and drags her tongue around my tip, I have to close my eyes to keep from coming on the spot._

"_Fuck, Bella." Her mouth closes around me, and it feels like nothing I've ever experienced before. "Oh, God," I mumble as my hips thrust slightly, forcing my cock further into her mouth._

_Her hands go to my hips as she encourages me to keep thrusting. After a few minutes, she hums around me, and the vibration causes me to lose it._

I cry out, alone in my shower, as my orgasm hits hard, my knees nearly buckling from the intensity. I lean my spent body against the wall as I catch my breath before I can clean myself up.

An hour later, I catch up with Emmett and Rose in the hotel lobby as we get ready to hit the road.

"What put that smile on your moody face?" Emmett asks. "You get some pussy last night?"

I chuckle as Rose slaps the back of his head while we walk out to the waiting bus. "Leave him alone, Emmett. You know he's not fucking around with anyone anymore," she says, eyeing me curiously.

We all climb onto the bus and get comfortable in the lounge. It's a nice bus, and technically there's room for about six people to sleep, but since we tend to stay in the same city for a few days, we usually are in hotel rooms for the night.

"I am right, aren't I, Edward?" Rose asks as she leans into Emmett's side on the couch.

"Please," I scoff. "I've gone back to the hotel with you two almost every night that we've been on the road. When would I even have had time to pick up a chick?"

Rose narrows her eyes at me. "And why is that?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm just curious why you haven't been banging any of the sluts that hang around," she says with a shrug. "It's not like you to leave them all there."

"What exactly are you getting at, Rose?"

"Nothing, really. Just wondering if someone's waiting for you at home," she states nonchalantly.

I roll my eyes at her attempt at subtlety. "There's nothing going on between Bella and me, if that's what you're implying."

"That doesn't mean you don't _want_ there to be something going on," Emmett chimes in. When did he become so observant?

I sigh and sit back as the bus starts moving once Marcus boards. He's looking a little worse for wear and only grumbles something unintelligible at us before going back to one of the bunks. We all chuckle as we watch him go by.

"Even if I wanted there to be something," I hedge once Marcus slams the door. "Bella's already made it clear that a relationship between the two of us wouldn't be a good idea."

"What happened?" Rose asks with an honest look of concern.

I realize that there's no reason to hide anything from my best friends considering I know all of their secrets, and before I know it, I'm spilling my guts about the night that I kissed Bella.

"It sounds like she wanted it, too, Bro," Emmett states.

"Yeah, she admitted that she wanted to kiss me, but she didn't want to fuck up our relationship for Charlie's sake."

Rose's brow furrows before she speaks. "So, don't fuck it up." When I look at her quizzically, she continues. "She's concerned that if things go south between the two of you, it'll be harder to be parents together, right?" I nod. "So, just don't let things get fucked up. Commit yourself for once, Edward."

She makes it sound so simple. "What the fuck do I know about relationships or commitment, Rose? I've never had a serious girlfriend. Hell, I don't think I've ever even fucked the same girl twice, and if I did, it's only because I didn't remember her from the first time."

"I don't know, Edward. For some reason, I feel like Bella's different for you."

I sigh and run my hand through my hair. "Yeah, she is," I admit quietly.

Her eyes narrow once again and she purses her lips. "You love her."

"What?" I blurt out.

"You love her," she repeats simply. "You can try to deny it, but deep down you know it's true."

I shake my head and drop it to the back of my seat, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath.

"Come on, Em," I hear Rose mutter. "I want to take a nap."

My mind begins to run a million miles a minute when they leave the room. How the hell would I even know if I love Bella? And if I do, is there a difference between loving her and being _in love_ with her?

I start thinking through the things that made me realize I love Charlie and comparing them to Bella. I miss Bella when she's not around. I want to be there for her. I would do anything in my power to make her happy.

All of those seem simple enough, but does that mean that I'm _in love_ with her?

Pushing my mind a little further, I think about the smile on Bella's face. Not only do I always want to see it, I want to be responsible for putting it there. When she smiles, it not only lights up her face, but it also lights me up on the inside and makes my heart swell.

I talk to her about anything and everything. Not just that, I _want_ to tell her things that I've never told anyone else. And at the end of it all, her hand on my shoulder or a shy smile will soothe me like nothing else.

When I sit back and think about my vision for the future, I come to the realization that it has changed—drastically. Where I previously thought of myself as a loner, living a solitary life until I'm old and gray, now I can't envision a day that doesn't have Bella and Charlie in it. I don't want to be alone anymore. I want to have someone to share the happy times with, and the sad times too.

I swallow around the lump in my throat.

I want that person to be Bella.

_Fuck._

I'm in love with her.

My head drops to my hands as my elbows rest on my knees. I begin tugging at my hair with both hands. What the hell am I supposed to do about this? I don't know the first thing about relationships, nor do I know if Bella would even be willing to try.

What if I put myself out there and she rejects me? Could I handle that, or would our parenting relationship end up suffering anyway?

Am I being completely selfish by even considering this? Am I putting my needs above Charlie's?

I think about that for a moment and realize that Charlie deserves a happy life with two happy parents. I think that if I don't ever talk to Bella about this, I won't ever be able to make peace with it—regardless of which way the conversation goes. I'll be miserable without at least putting it out there, and that's still not fair to Charlie.

It's a double edged sword any way I look at it.

But there's one thing I know for certain. I need to call Bella now. I'm not stupid enough to blurt out that I love her over the phone, but I need to hear her voice. Just … something, to get me through the day.

Looking at the time on my phone, I recognize that it's the perfect time to call her. It's only a little after eight o'clock back in Seattle, so she'll be getting ready to start work.

"Hello?" her sweet voice answers.

"Hey, Bella," I say with relief.

"Morning," she responds cheerily. "Are you in Cleveland already?"

"Nah, we're on our way. I just thought I'd call and check in while I had some time to myself."

"Oh, well everything's good here. Charlie's looking at herself in the mirror. You know, that toy mirror that she likes?"

I hum in acknowledgment. "And how are you doing?"

"I'm fine. Just getting settled in to start working. I think I'm going to try giving Charlie some of that rice cereal soon. Your dad said it was okay to start that."

It's odd that she seems to be evading talking about herself, not that I don't want to hear about Charlie. "That sounds like a good idea," I reply. A moment goes by before an idea strikes me, and I gather my courage before I have a chance to back out. "Hey, listen … I wanna ask you something."

"Sure, what's up?"

I let out a breath. Here goes nothing. "I was thinking that maybe you and Charlie could come out here for a little bit. I don't know … a few days, maybe a week?"

The silence over the phone stretches on so long that I actually look at it to make sure the call didn't drop.

Her voice is quiet when she finally speaks. "You want Charlie and me to come on the road with you?"

I tug at my hair. Maybe this was a bad idea, but I have to try. "Yeah. I miss her." I swallow around the lump again. "And I miss you," I add quietly.

* * *

**A/N: Leave it to Rose to give Edward the proverbial smack upside the head. The next teaser will be posted tonight on Fic Central, and I'll post the link tomorrow morning on Twitter and Facebook. See you on Friday with the next chapter!**

**I hope everyone is reading the Lyrics To Life contest entries. We're still accepting submissions until the end of October.**

**Thanks to beachcomberlc, but all mistakes are mine.**


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

It takes some convincing—okay, a lot of convincing—but Bella agrees to meet us in Cleveland with Charlie. I tell her that I'll buy an open-ended ticket, so she can return home whenever she needs to if Charlie doesn't take well to travel. If I have my way, she'll stay at least until we move on to Indianapolis in five days.

I promise her that she'll be able to work during the day because I'll take care of Charlie. She can work from anywhere as long as she has her laptop, so this is a winning situation for all of us. I get Charlie and Bella with me for a little while and Bella gets uninterrupted time to work. Alice isn't home too often in the evenings to help out anyway, so there won't be much difference when I'm out at a show.

She tried to complain that she didn't want me to spend money on flying her out or hotel accommodations, but I shot that argument down quickly. First of all, I wanted them to be with me so it should be at my expense. However, what it really comes down to is that I have enough frequent flyer miles and hotel points that a first class ticket and an adjoining room don't cost me a cent. I already have a suite for myself in order to have a kitchen and dining room, so the added room for Bella and Charlie is no big deal.

As I sit in the baggage claim area of the airport waiting for my girls, I keep my baseball cap low on my head and my Ray-Bans over my eyes. This won't eliminate the possibility of being spotted by a fan, but it helps. I'm also sitting in a quiet corner away from the rest of the mayhem. Bella told me that she'd be checking Charlie's stroller at the gate to make it easier for her to navigate through the airport, so I'm assuming she'll be coming out of the elevator, instead of the escalator which is in the center of all of the activity.

I've already checked to see that her flight landed, so my eyes stay glued to the elevator doors. Adrenaline spikes through me every time they open, only to be disappointed when Bella doesn't emerge.

The open area is loud, and I'm doing my best to avoid looking around in the hope that I won't be spotted. I know it's ultimately unavoidable, but I just want to be able to greet them in peace without cameras going crazy around us.

After twenty long minutes, the silver elevator doors open and Bella emerges, pushing Charlie in her black stroller. She's looking around, presumably for which way she needs to go to claim her bags, when I call her name quietly.

Her eyes widen when she sees me standing in front of the bench I had been sitting on. "What are you doing here?" she asks when she reaches me.

"I wanted to come get you and Charlie," I tell her with a shrug.

"I told you I'd take a cab. What if someone sees you?" She looks around to make sure no one is watching us.

"What if they do? They could spot you just as easily." Unable to resist any longer, I pull her into a tight hug. I breathe in deeply when her arms wrap around my waist and return the embrace. "I missed you," I tell her quietly. "I'm so glad you came."

She pulls back and gives me a small smile. "I, uh … I have to get our bags."

I peek into the car seat that's clipped onto the stroller and see that Charlie is sound asleep. "Do you want me to take her out to the car while you get them?" As much as I want to be a gentleman and get her bags for her, I realize that the three of us together out in the open baggage claim area is likely to draw more attention.

Bella agrees, so I push the stroller outside to the waiting limo. I release the car seat and put it on the floor while I fold up the stroller—all things Bella taught me how to do. The driver takes the stroller to the trunk while I climb into the car and strap Charlie in using the seatbelt. Not the ideal way, but Bella also told me that it's safe when needed. I really want to hold Charlie and hug her, but that will have to wait until she wakes up.

It doesn't take long for Bella to get her bags and find us, and then we're on our way. The short ride to our hotel is fairly quiet, except for me asking how Charlie was during the plane ride and Bella telling me she handled it just fine. Apparently, our adorable daughter was the hit of the first class section, which Bella thanks me for again, with the flight attendants and other passengers fawning all over her.

A porter greets the limo when we arrive, and I instruct him to bring the luggage to our suite while I quickly usher Bella and Charlie inside.

"Edward, you didn't have to get all of this for us," Bella says when she walks into the sitting room of the suite.

"I didn't, really," I admit, rubbing the back of my neck. "We usually get suites when we stay somewhere for a few days so we'll have a kitchen. I just added on the adjoining room." I point to the door over my shoulder. "I'll stay in there so you'll have plenty of space with Charlie."

"Thank you. That's really generous of you."

The porter arrives and drops off Bella's suitcases. I hand him a twenty before he leaves.

Turning back to Bella, I admit something that's been on my mind lately as I take a seat on the couch. "It's not like you've let me spend any money on her. I mean, you buy pretty much everything she needs, so if this is all I can do for you two, then I'm gonna do it."

Bella sits down next to me just as Charlie begins to stir from the car seat on the floor.

"I'll get her," I quickly tell Bella, excited to see my baby girl with her eyes open.

She fusses around for a minute while I open the straps holding her in, but I get an honest to goodness wide smile when her eyes finally open and land on me.

"Hey there, baby girl. Did you come to visit Daddy? I missed you," I say as I pull her from the seat and hug her body to mine, kissing her chubby cheek loudly. I hold her up in front of me and marvel at how big she's gotten since I last saw her. "My goodness, look at you!"

My thumbs dig into her ribs a little as I hold her and she lets out a squeal. I can't help but laugh at her. "Are you ticklish?" I dig my thumbs in again and she laughs. Turning to Bella, I ask my burning question. "Do you think she remembers me?"

"I'm sure she knows who her Daddy is," Bella responds as I bring Charlie over to the couch and sit her on my lap. "I show her your picture all the time and play the CD you made. And I've even showed her some clips of your shows that I found on YouTube. She's not all that interested in the TV, but I figured it was something."

I feel like my jaw must be on the floor. "You did all that for me?"

"Of course. You're her Daddy."

Before I can say anything else, we're interrupted by a knock at the door. I cross the room and look through the peephole, only seeing an eyeball.

"Emmett," I sigh, knowing the big goofball's tricks anywhere.

I open the door with Charlie on my hip, and in walks over six feet of man-child, followed by his statuesque girlfriend.

"Bellaboo!" Emmett exclaims with his arms wide open while Rose snatches the baby right out of my hands.

"Hi, Charlie," she says, cuddling her close and blowing a raspberry on Charlie's cheek.

Charlie squeals again at the same time Bella does, and I look over to see that Emmett has her wrapped in a bear hug with her feet lifted off the ground. I look back at Rose who is rolling her eyes but smiling.

"That's my monkey man," she sighs.

After all of the greetings are exchanged, we sit down with some drinks.

"So, you comin' to the show tonight, B?" Emmett asks, using a new nickname for Bella every time he addresses her.

"Oh, uh …" she starts, looking at me and clearly not knowing what to say. "I don't think so."

"We didn't even get a chance to talk before you two came barging in here," I interject, giving a pointed glare at Emmett. Turning to Bella, I explain that she could come if she wants. "There are always monitors in the dressing room, so if you want to come with Charlie, you can just hang out in there. It's up to you, though. If not tonight, maybe another show," I say hopefully, knowing she's probably tired from travelling.

"Okay, maybe the next one?" she asks. "I'm kind of beat from being up so early and the flight."

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you want." I slide off the couch in front of Charlie, who is lying on the floor, and hand her one of the toys she was trying to reach.

Rose clears her throat, gaining everyone's attention. "There actually was another reason that we came by," she starts. "Not that we didn't want to say hi to Bella and Charlie. But we were wondering what you were planning to do tomorrow on our day off."

"I hadn't even thought about it yet. I wasn't really thinking much past Bella and Charlie getting here," I respond, shaking another toy for Charlie.

"Well, we're hoping you can join us tomorrow …" Rose says hesitantly.

My eyebrow shoots up as I wait for more information. I've never known Rose to be hesitant about anything.

Emmett throws his meaty arm around her before announcing, "We're getting married!"

My eyes go wide before I can think of anything to say. "Wow," is all that comes out at first. "What … how …" I'm not even sure what I'm trying to ask.

Rose laughs before putting me out of my misery. "Emmett's uncle is a retired judge. We got our marriage license today while you were picking Bella up, and he's going to marry us tomorrow at his house. We figured that we'd all go to Rock Hall for lunch afterward." She acts like this is an everyday occurrence.

I completely forgot that Emmett was originally from Cleveland since he's lived in Seattle for so many years. I did know that he still had family here though. If nothing else, it makes sense that they'd want to celebrate at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

When my mouth finally works, I assure them that I'll be there. "I wouldn't miss it for the world. Bella?" I look in her direction, questioning whether she'll come, too.

She looks slightly uncomfortable. "Um, yeah, I guess. Are you sure Charlie and I should be there?"

"Absolutely, Belly!" Emmett beams with yet another nickname. "You and Charlie are kind of our inspiration."

"Huh?" I ask, snapping my head back to Emmett.

His smile grows about a thousand times its normal size. "Rosie's havin' my baby!"

"Wow, congratulations," I offer while my mind whirls with the news. Emmett was my wingman for quite a few years before he and Rose stopped fighting like cats and dogs and started fucking. I've never pictured him as the type to settle down and have a kid, although I'm not so sure the kid part was planned. But hey, if I can do it, I guess he can, too.

Rose smiles. "I was finally able to get to a doctor the other day in Pittsburgh. We wanted to be sure before we told anyone. I'm ten weeks along already."

"Congratulations, Rose," Bella chimes in softly. "That's great news."

The two girls start talking pregnancy stuff while I get up to fix a bottle for Charlie. I keep an eye on Bella though, because as friendly as she's being, she still appears somewhat uncomfortable. I wonder if she's slightly jealous—as I find myself to be—of the fact that Rose and Emmett are together and getting married before they have their baby. I also find part of my jealousy to be at the fact that Emmett gets to experience the entire pregnancy with Rose, something that I missed out on with Bella, though that's no one's fault.

I'm surprised at how much I want what they have—a loving relationship and what will be a full-time family. I hope someday that can happen for me.

Maybe I should start by telling Bella that I'm in love with her.

* * *

**A/N: Yes, many of you guessed that Rose was pregnant, and now it's confirmed. Up next is a wedding and lunch at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that you're not going to want to miss! The teaser will be posted on FicZone on Saturday. I'll also be posting a picture tease on Facebook.**

**We're still accepting entries for the Lyrics To Life contest. You have until the end of October to get your entry in. There are currently twelve entries posted, so search for author LyricsToLifeContest to read them.**

**Voting is still open for the TwiFic Fandom Awards, and Altered Measure has been nominated for Favorite Snuggle Fic and Favorite Drop Everything Fic. You can vote for all of your favorites at twificfandomawards dot blogspot dot com.**

**Many thanks to beachcomberlc, but all mistakes are mine. Yes, I tweaked this right before posting.**


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

As much as I hate to leave Bella and Charlie so soon after they arrive, we have a show tonight so there's not much choice. After a quick dinner of pizza that we order in, shared with Emmett and Rose also, I kiss my baby girl goodbye for the night. I can't stop myself from hugging Bella as well. She doesn't seem bothered by this more constant display of affection, so I'm going to take advantage of it.

We didn't have any time alone to talk. My head is spinning with everything that I want to say to her, but I'll have to wait for the right time.

The show goes off without a hitch, though we've been doing this for long enough that everyone knows their jobs, from lights to sound to backstage comforts. Our trio heads back to the hotel directly after the show, and I go right to sleep since I assume I'll be up with Charlie bright and early.

Because of the time change, Charlie actually sleeps late, her little body not adjusting as easily as adults do, though Bella says she was up a few times during the night. But the late morning ends up working well for us—Bella gets some time to work before Charlie is even awake, and I get to sleep in for a while after an exhausting night.

"Emmett said they want to leave at ten thirty," I tell Bella after getting off the phone with my best friend. "It's about a thirty minute drive to his uncle's house. Can you be ready then?"

"Sure. Let me just finish up what I'm working on and I'll go change into something a little nicer."

"I can get Charlie ready if you tell me where you put her clothes," I offer.

Bella points me in the right direction, so I enter the bedroom of the suite with my baby on my hip. She babbles away while I pull some clothes out of the drawer. Once I have her lying down on the bed, I give her a running commentary to go along with her cute noises.

"Uncle Emmett and Aunt Rose are getting married today. I hope Mommy doesn't mind if I call them that. I guess I should ask her, huh?" Charlie looks at the toy in her hand before bringing it to her mouth while I finish changing her diaper. "I'm going to put you in this pretty dress so you look nice for their wedding. What do you think of that?" I pull her pajamas off and push the dress over her head. It's a bit of a struggle to get her arms in, but I work it out and then snap up the back. "Who's a pretty baby?" I ask, giving a tickle to her sides. When she laughs, I lift her dress and blow a raspberry on the bare skin of her belly. Her hands grip my head while she laughs again, so I keep going, only stopping when I realize that Bella is in the room.

"Sorry," I say sheepishly. "We didn't mean to disturb you. We were just having some fun, weren't we, Charlie?"

Bella smiles carefully at us. "You didn't disturb me. I was coming in to get dressed anyway."

I take Charlie into the living room so Bella can get dressed. When she's done and Charlie's bag is packed, she tells me she has something for me.

"I didn't want to bring it with me since it's fragile, so I just took a picture of it," she says, pulling out her phone and scrolling through some pictures. "It's a birthday present from Charlie."

I'm slightly in awe that she thought to get me a gift from Charlie, and even more in awe when she shows me the picture on her phone. "Bella, this is awesome." I trace the tiny, painted feet with my finger while I stare at the screen. It's a picture frame that says "I love Daddy" at the top in childlike writing. Inside, there is a picture of a smiling Charlie on top and her footprints in paint on the bottom. "Thank you," I say, choking back emotion. "You didn't have to do that for me."

Bella brushes it off like it's no big deal, but to me it is. I'll have to come up with something equally as awesome for her birthday, which I know is coming up in September.

We finally make our way across the hall. I knock on Rose and Em's door, and they quickly gather their belongings so we can head out to the waiting limo.

"So, you guys nervous?" I ask once we're all settled in for the drive.

"Nah," Emmett responds with his arm around Rose. "I've known I would be marrying Rose for a while now. We just planned to wait until we were done touring, but this little one only made us want to speed things along." He rubs Rose's stomach affectionately, and I bite back the twinge of jealousy that's trying to make its way to the surface.

We pull up to Emmett's Uncle Liam's Cleveland Heights estate and all step out of the limo. Bella's mouth drops in awe as she takes in the sprawling mansion. I guess Ohio judges do all right for themselves.

Emmett, dressed in black pants and a white button down shirt, approaches the door first. He wastes no time knocking and then opening it without waiting for a response.

"Uncle Liam? Aunt Siobhan? Your favorite nephew is here!" he announces as we all follow him into the house.

"Thankfully, you're my only nephew," a gruff, male voice calls from somewhere further inside. "You know your mother's going to kill me for this."

I close the door behind me as Emmett leads us into a living room where his uncle is standing. The men embrace quickly with back pats.

"Nah," Emmett disputes when they separate. "She'll understand that we didn't want all the hoopla. Anything bigger than this and the media would have been all over us. I just want to marry my Rosie." He turns and affectionately looks at his bride, who is wearing a simple, yellow summery dress.

Aunt Siobhan joins us and introductions are made all around. She is all Irish with her natural red, curly hair and ample body. If you close your eyes while she speaks, you might think you were actually in Ireland.

Emmett insists we get right down to business, so Bella unbuckles Charlie from her seat. I take my baby from Bella and hold her on my hip, capturing Bella's hand as I lead her over to the couch. When we sit down, I don't release her hand.

I'm waiting for her to pull away as Liam gets started, but she looks at me out of the side of her eye and gives me a small smile. I give her hand a little squeeze as we listen to the simple ceremony.

Within ten minutes, vows are made, rings exchanged and kisses shared. I'm kind of amazed that that's all it takes for Emmett and Rose to become husband and wife. Siobhan takes a few pictures of the couple and then some of all of us, promising to email them to Emmett.

In no time at all, we're piling back into the limo and headed to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for lunch. We definitely draw some attention while we're eating lunch due to Emmett's boisterous nature even though the museum isn't too crowded on a weekday afternoon. I'm fairly sure some of the other patrons have taken photos of us, but I can't find it in me to care. We're all having a good time, laughing and enjoying ourselves, and no one is asking for autographs yet. Even Bella seems more relaxed than usual.

After we eat, Em and Rose decide to return to the hotel. I can't blame them; I'm sure they want to celebrate alone. They promise to send the car back so Bella and I can stroll around the museum for a little while. It's not like she has plans to ever return to Cleveland, so we may as well make the most of it while she's here.

Charlie is napping in her stroller as we walk through several exhibits of the museum. We stroll into The Beatles exhibit, stopping every now and then to admire some artifacts. When we're in front of John Lennon's Gibson J-160E acoustic guitar, I pick up Bella's hand again. I can't seem to help myself. I feel like I have to be touching her in some way at all times.

I don't even care that there are people all around the museum or that any one of these patrons could be taking a picture for the world to see. I'm with my daughter and my Bella—well, she's not mine yet—and I couldn't be happier.

Music and voices carry on all around us, but I'm lost in the feel of her hand in mine and the heat from her body next to me. I barely even see the iconic guitar in front of us.

"Edward," Bella says quietly. "What are we doing?"

Only when my thumb stops moving do I realize that I was caressing her hand. I look up and find a nervous expression on her face.

I need to do this. I need to tell her. This is not exactly the perfect place, but I don't want to wait any longer.

"Bella," I start in a whisper, but then realize there are no other words. I take a deep breath. Nothing but the truth. "I'm in love with you."

"You're what?" she asks loudly, eyes going wide before she looks around to make sure she didn't draw any attention.

"I love you." I turn fully toward her and take her other hand. "I don't know when or how or why it happened, but somewhere along the way I fell in love with you. I don't want to be without you and Charlie anymore." I squeeze her hand. "I need you both, Bella."

"Edward," she says, somewhat exasperated but still in a quiet voice. "We talked about this. You don't do relationships. Why are you doing this to me now?"

The tears I see building in her eyes are killing me. She needs to know that I'm in this for the long haul. I want her to understand that I'm not just looking to get her into bed, but that I want it all with her.

"No, I've never done relationships before. I blamed it on my birth parents, but truthfully, it was because I was scared of someone else hurting me or leaving me when they were supposed to love me. But all this time, I think I've just been waiting for the right person … for you. Nothing else matters to me anymore. Just you, me and Charlie. I want us to be together—to be a family. I _need_ us to be together. I know it's gonna take time for you to trust me, but I want to try. I want it all."

She studies my face for a moment before speaking. "You're sure?"

"I've never been more sure in my life," I promise, hoping she'll see the truth in my eyes.

"You want us both?" she asks as the tears start to fall.

"More than anything," I answer confidently, squeezing her hand tighter.

She closes her eyes while the tears run down her face, whispering something like "God help me," but when she opens them, there's a spark that wasn't there before. "Kiss me, Edward."

"Thank God," I sigh a moment before our lips touch.

A fire ignites inside my body as we begin to move together, lips meshing perfectly while my thumb rubs Bella's cheek and my fingers tangle in her hair. I taste her sweet breath mixed with the saltiness of her tears. I've never enjoyed kissing before, but this, this is something else. This doesn't feel like just kissing. It feels like we've become one, moving in synchronization, always meant to be two halves of a whole.

Our tongues touch gently and retreat, and Bella whimpers into my mouth. Her tiny noise practically brings me to my knees, and I wonder what other wonderful sounds I can coax from her body.

Much sooner than I'd like, I realize the reality of the situation and where we are. I pull back from our kiss, though I don't release my hold on her. "You have to tell me when I fuck up," I say quietly with my forehead pressed to hers. "Because I'm sure I will."

A smile spreads slowly across her face. "I don't know the first thing about relationships, either." When she sees my raised eyebrow as I lift my head, she shrugs. "I've never had a boyfriend before."

"How is it possible that a woman as beautiful as you didn't get swept off her feet by some Prince Charming?"

"I think I just did."

I laugh and shake my head. "Come on, let's get out of here. I think we're already pushing our luck," I say, looking around to see if anyone is watching us. There are a few teenage girls giggling in the corner of the room holding cell phones and looking like they're getting ready to pounce. I drape my arm over Bella's shoulder and use the other hand to push Charlie's stroller in the opposite direction of the girls.

I'm sure that kiss is already all over the internet, and if we don't leave now, we'll be swarmed.

* * *

**A/N: Just want to remind you that by now, even Bella is used to dealing with the paps, so although news may get out about them kissing, it's not going to change their everyday lives. I know there are those who want Bella to fall all over Edward, and those who wish she would have found someone else by the time he figured out what he wants. Of course, since this story was already written, I can tell you that it was always planned for her to be somewhere in between. She has NOT told him she loves him, but she's willing to give the relationship a try.**

**Thanks again for all of your wonderful reviews. I love chatting with you guys.**

**Submissions are still being accepted for the Lyrics To Life contest. Search for author LyricsToLifeContest to read the entries that have already been posted.**

**Thanks to beachecomberlc, but all mistakes are mine. Yeah, I tweaked this one right up until the end.**


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

As expected, there are a bunch of fans and paps waiting outside the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when we exit. Thankfully, I texted the limo driver, so he's waiting in the street right out front and ushers us into the car quickly, taking the stroller from me and putting it in the trunk. It's kind of a pain having to travel with baby gear, but I'm still happy to have Charlie with me.

When we return to the hotel, Charlie wakes up from her nap so all of our attention is focused on her for a while. Bella and I don't get a chance to talk about what happened earlier. She reminds me that she wants to try giving Charlie some cereal and asks if I want to do it.

I'm kind of stunned at first, and I miss responding to her. "Edward?" she questions.

"Uh, yeah. I'd love to," I finally answer. I can't believe she's giving me one of Charlie's "firsts." It just makes me love her even more. "You'll have to tell me what to do though."

Bella gets everything ready while I play with our girl on the floor. Then she explains that she'll hold Charlie on her lap while I try to feed her since we don't have a highchair or anything in the hotel room. I'm sure I could request one from the restaurant downstairs, but this actually keeps us both involved so it's almost a better option.

"I think, just get a little on the spoon at first," Bella suggests. "She won't really know what to do with it, but if you can get the taste in her mouth, she might open up for it."

I put a tiny bit of the watery, white mush on the spoon and bring it to Charlie's mouth. I can't help laughing when she purses her lips and turns her head away. "This reminds me of the first time I tried to give you a bottle, baby girl." I have to chase her around with the spoon for a minute before I'm finally successful in slipping some of the cereal inside her mouth.

Of course, she uses her tongue to push it right back out. Bella laughs and just lifts the bib to wipe it off her mouth. "Just keep trying," she tells me. "It might take her a little while to figure out how to swallow it."

This time, Charlie actually opens her mouth for me, even though she still pushes the food back out. We follow this routine for a few minutes before she finally catches on and starts swallowing a little of it. Bella even ends up taking a few pictures of our girl's first time eating cereal.

"Good job, Charlie," I praise when the bowl is actually empty. It looks like she's wearing more of it than she ate, but it's a start.

Once she's cleaned up, I take her into the adjoining room to hang out for a little while so Bella can get some work done. I promised her she'd be able to work while I took care of Charlie, but that got shot to hell today with the wedding and my impromptu confession earlier, so I'm making good on that promise now.

It's not until about eight o'clock that Bella and I finally have a quiet minute to ourselves. Charlie is sleeping in the portable crib in the bedroom, so we order some room service for dinner.

Once we've finished eating and I push the cart out into the hallway, I sit down on the couch and pull Bella into my side. I take a few deep breaths as I work up the courage to start this conversation. This should be the easy part considering I've already admitted that I love her.

"So, I was thinking," I say as I run my fingers up and down her upper arm. "That we should probably take things slow."

"Edward Cullen," Bella starts, pretending to be shocked as she sits up and looks at me. "Are you saying that you don't want to sleep with me?"

I laugh at her candor, but then turn serious. "Believe me, it's not that I don't want to. But I just think we should be careful, for Charlie's sake."

She nods and smiles before settling back into my side. "Yeah, you're right."

"Besides, I haven't even taken you out on a real date yet. Room service in the hotel doesn't count. We've done everything backwards up to this point, so I think we should start doing things right from now on."

It hasn't escaped my attention that she didn't return my feelings when I confessed that I was in love with her. And that's okay. But after missing Bella and Charlie for the last month and a half, I know I need them in my life and can't afford to screw this up. As much as it nearly pains me to even think it, I don't want to have sex with Bella until I'm sure that she's on the same page as I am.

I've waited this long for her. I can wait a little longer until she's ready.

In the end, we agree that we'll keep things the way they have been for the most part once Bella goes home, with the exception of the acknowledgment between us that we're in a relationship. We were doing a good job getting to know each other through our phone calls and texts, so that seems like a logical way to proceed. I promise to take her out on a real date once the tour is over, and then we'll take things from there.

"Can we still kiss?" she asks shyly. "Because I kinda liked that."

The blush that rises to her cheeks with that confession is nearly my undoing, but I hold myself together and kiss her gently. "Yeah," I whisper as my fingers graze her cheek. "We can still do that."

Our lips and tongues move languidly together with gentle caresses and soft strokes. My hands grip Bella's waist while hers fist in the back of my hair. She lets out a soft sigh when I move one hand up the side of her ribs, barely grazing her breast.

In one swift motion, Bella throws her leg over my lap and straddles my waist. I'm not sure how it happens, but I end up lying back on the couch with Bella on top of me. I groan when she grinds her core down over my length, and as good as it feels, I know we need to stop.

I carefully still her hips as my mouth moves to place kisses along her neck. "We need to stop, beautiful," I tell her softly.

Her whimper lets me know that she's not happy with the idea.

"Believe me, I know," I say as I pull my head back and reach up to push some hair out of her face. "But I only have so much control, and it's already being tested."

"Sorry," she says shyly. It's amazing how she can go from practically dry humping me to timid like the flip of a switch.

"There's nothing to be sorry for," I tell her with one last kiss to her swollen lips. "I wanted this as much as you did."

She nods and backs up, giving me room to sit up on the couch. I miss the heat of her body immediately, so I pull her closer to cuddle into my shoulder. The feel of her arms wrapping around my body leaves me content, and I let out a sigh.

Who knew I was a cuddler?

We end up watching a movie together on the couch before we go our separate ways to bed for the night, where my dreams are filled with Bella's kisses and her body pressed up against mine.

The next few days pass by too quickly for my liking, and before I know it, I'm taking Bella and Charlie to the airport in Indianapolis. They rode with us on the tour bus but only stayed for one day in the new city. I wish I could keep them with me for the remainder of the tour. Bella thinks it's best if they go home though, and unfortunately I can't disagree.

We've gotten a little heated a few more times, and if they stay for much longer, I'm afraid I'll go back on my promise of taking things slow. So as much as I don't like it, I have to say goodbye to them for a while.

"You sure you'll be okay getting all of your bags to the check-in counter?" I ask as the limo heads toward the airport. "I could just come inside with you until you have your bags checked."

"Edward, we already talked about this. I'll be fine. I don't want to draw any extra attention to myself when I go in."

I sigh but nod, knowing she's right. Even though she's getting used to having paps around her, it's still better if she's not spotted. "Call me when you land," I say as the limo rolls to a stop in the drop off area.

"I will," she promises, giving my hand one last squeeze.

I give her a chaste kiss, knowing we'd get carried away if we do any more than that, before I turn to say goodbye to Charlie. "I love you, baby girl. I'll see you in a few weeks." I kiss the top of her head and then hand the car seat carrier to Bella as she steps out of the car.

She gives me one last smile before closing the door. I watch as the driver helps her gather her bags and get the stroller settled, but way too soon, she's walking through the revolving doors and out of my sight.

On the way back to the hotel, I finally get around to sending my mom the pictures that Bella took of me feeding Charlie. She responds quickly, letting me know once again how proud she is of me for doing the right thing for Charlie. She's also thrilled that I had Bella and Charlie come out to visit, even though she tells me that she misses them and can't wait to see them when they arrive home.

The next few weeks drag by slowly, and I feel like I miss my girls more now than I did during the first half of the tour, even though I haven't been away from them for as long. Bella and I keep up with our daily texts and phone calls, and we even get a few Skype sessions in. She puts Charlie in front of the computer and lets her see me while we talk. I love watching my baby girl's face light up when she recognizes me and hears my voice.

It's not the same as being there with them, but I continually remind myself that this separation is not forever.

During our calls, I have to constantly keep myself from saying "I love you" to Bella. It amazes me how often it's on the tip of my tongue. Now that I've unleashed my feelings, they're hard to hold back. But, I don't want to make her uncomfortable when she's not in the same place as me.

Emmett, Rose and I actually sit down together one night after a show and talk about what's next for Breaking Dawn. Aro has been pushing us to extend the tour since we're selling out almost every night, but the three of us agree that we want to stick with the original three month arrangement. Aro warns that we'll lose our momentum if we take a break now, and there's a chance that we might not recapture it if we decide to tour again at a later date.

But I can see the confirmation in my best friends' eyes. We're done for now.

We've all profited from this venture, but we've also worked hard and given up a lot for the last seven years. We could keep pushing, write more music and continue touring, but when your heart's not in it you end up with crap. Rose and Em need to settle into their life together and get ready for their baby. I need to spend some time with my daughter. And frankly, I'd also like to be able to focus on my growing relationship with Bella.

That's not to say that I won't be inspired to write something, but I will always have that option whether I'm writing it for my own band or to sell to someone else. I have enough contacts in the music industry to make that happen if I decide to go in that direction.

Two weeks before the tour is over, I get an unexpected call from Bella. It's just after one a.m. here in Phoenix, which means it's just as late back home in Seattle.

"Bella?" I answer, immediately concerned by her late call. I can hear Charlie screaming in the background.

She sniffles twice before speaking. "I don't know what to do, Edward. She's been crying for almost an hour and I can't get her to calm down."

"Fuck," I mutter, my heart instantly breaking at being so far away and so completely useless. Once again, I'm wishing this tour would hurry up and come to an end.

* * *

**A/N: Looks like Edward has one more hurdle to get over before he can get back home to his girls. But he'll be coming home next chapter!**

**There will be a teaser tonight on Fic Central. I'll post the link on Facebook and Twitter tomorrow. The next chapter will post on Friday.**

**More entries have been posted for the Lyrics To Life contest! Go check them out! Search for author LyricsToLifeContest. There are still a few days left to get your submissions in.**

**My awesome beta is beachcomberlc, but all mistakes are mine.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

"Does she feel warm? Does it seem like something's wrong with her?" I frantically ask Bella. I hate being so far away and so useless, but I instantly recognize that this won't change once I'm home. I'll still be living at my house while my girls are at Bella's house.

"She doesn't feel warm … well, now she does because she's so worked up. But she seemed fine other than the crying when she first woke up." Her voice is shaking, and I can tell she's getting close to losing it.

"Is Alice home?"

"No." When her voice cracks on the simple word, I know I have to do whatever I can to help.

"I'm going to call my dad, Bella," I say in my calmest voice. "Just hang in there for a few minutes and I'll call you back."

"Okay," she says quietly.

"I love you," I add without thinking, and then I quickly disconnect the call so I can get my dad on the phone.

With the limited information that I have from Bella, Dad can only guess what the issue is. I would have him call her directly, but I have a feeling she's too worked up to be much help right now. His best guess is that Charlie is teething and the pain is making her miserable. He tells me the correct dose of Tylenol, since it won't hurt in most any situation, and says to have Bella call him if she thinks it's something more severe or needs more guidance.

I relay all of this to Bella, and she confirms that Charlie has been drooling and chewing on things more lately so it sounds like teething is the culprit. I stay on the phone while she gives Charlie the medicine, and even for a while after that while she continues to try to calm her down.

Hearing the CD that I made for Charlie in the background actually somewhat calms me, knowing that even when I can't be there, I can still help in some small way.

About twenty minutes later, Bella whispers into the phone, "She's asleep."

I smile and let out a relieved breath. "Do you think you can get her back in the crib?" I ask just as quietly even though I'm on the other end of the phone.

I hear some rustling, and then a minute goes by before I hear the creak of the door closing. Bella sighs into the phone. "Hopefully she'll sleep for a little while now. Sorry I kept you on the phone for so long."

"Please, Bella. I wish there was more that I could have done."

"I shouldn't have freaked out like that. She's usually such a good baby that I just had no idea what to do."

"If it were me, I'm sure I would have freaked out much more than that," I assure her. "Not that I minded you calling me—actually, I'm glad you did—but you know you can call my dad any time, too. I'm sure it's weird for you since he's her pediatrician, but he's also her grandfather and would want to help however he can."

"Thanks." She sighs. "I don't know if I'd feel comfortable calling him, but I'm glad to know the option is there."

Over the next few days, Charlie continues to be fussy for Bella day and night. With nothing else appearing to be wrong with her, Bella continues on the assumption that it's teething, until one morning I wake up and find a picture message showing off my daughter's first tooth.

Another fucking "first" that I wasn't present for.

At least we're finally in the home stretch of this tour.

The next nine days pass incredibly slowly while I count down the minutes until I can see my girls again. We still have two shows to perform in Seattle, but at least we'll be home.

In the mean time, I finally figure out what I can give to Bella for her birthday. I'm pretty happy with what I came up with, and I didn't even need to spend a lot of money on it. I know Bella enough to understand that she's not the type to want expensive jewelry or to have someone spend any money on her. That's another reason I love her so much. She likes me for me, not my money or my fame.

When the day of our homecoming finally arrives, I'm practically vibrating with excitement.

"Will you calm down already?" Emmett chastises as we wait for the door of the airplane to open and let us out into Sea-Tac airport. "You still aren't going to see her until tomorrow."

I immediately school my features. I must have been more visibly excited than I thought if Emmett's the one telling me to calm down. "Sorry, man. Just happy to be on familiar ground," I somewhat lie.

Rose laughs and rubs her slightly rounded belly. Since her growth over the last few weeks became visible, she's been hiding it under slightly larger clothes. It's a little more difficult when we're on stage because she's known for skin-tight outfits that draw our male fans in, but so far she's been able to get away with it by keeping her bass in front of her at all times. We haven't read about any speculation in the trash rags yet.

They didn't hide their wedding bands though, so those were spotted and reported on almost immediately. Aro almost threw a fit when he found out that they snuck off and got married. It was actually rather comical how he complained that it would ruin the appeal of having a sexy, female bass player.

But we're all past the point of caring and so over this tour.

We finally make our way off the plane and through the airport, pushing through the throngs of paps shouting questions and taking pictures as we make our way outside to the waiting car. We leave Marcus to gather our bags from the baggage carousel.

Half an hour later, the bags are loaded and we're ready to go. Forty-five minutes after that, the limo pulls through the gates of my community and up to my house. Rose and Emmett live just a little further down the road, so they'll be dropped off after me.

I'm surprised to find two cars in my driveway when I look up: Mom's car and Bella's.

"See you guys in a few hours," I toss over my shoulder as I make my way out of the car. I rush to the back and help the driver grab my bags from the trunk, anxious to get inside the house. I don't know why Bella's here, but I'm desperate to see her.

I open the door and drop everything right inside, calling out a "hello" into the seemingly empty house.

"We're in here," my mother's voice says, and I follow the sound into the media room.

"What are you doing here?" I ask as I turn the corner into the room. The sight that greets me makes my heart melt. I feel a wide smile break out across my face.

My mother, Bella and Charlie are all on the floor with some toys spread around them. Charlie is sitting up, and her head whips around at the sound of my voice. She squeals and smiles when she sees me before lowering her hands to the ground and getting up on her knees. In her excitement, she rocks back and forth on her hands and knees a few times.

"Well, that's new," I hear Bella say as I head toward my daughter.

"Are you doing a new trick for Daddy?" I ask as I scoop Charlie up and pepper her face with kisses and listen to her laugh. "I missed you, baby girl. I'm so glad you came to visit me." I turn to Bella and give her a smile in thanks.

"We thought we'd surprise you when you came home," Bella tells me. "Your mom thought it would be okay."

"It's more than okay." I hug Charlie tightly, putting my other arm out for Bella who is now standing next to me. "Thank you." I pull her close and kiss the top of her head.

Releasing her before it can become awkward, I turn to my mom and bend down, giving her a kiss hello also.

"Hi, sweetie. So glad you're finally home."

"So am I," I concur, standing up and smiling at my happy baby. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but what are you doing here?"

Mom moves off the floor and over to the couch, and I sit down next to her with Charlie in my lap. Bella hands Charlie a toy, which goes right into her mouth, not giving me much chance to admire the two teeth that now reside in her bottom gums.

"Well, we thought we'd have one more surprise for you," Mom says.

"We?" I ask, looking at Bella with raised eyebrows.

She looks somewhat nervous when she responds. "Your mom said it wouldn't be a problem, but if it is, then it's not a big deal."

My eyebrows furrow. "What are you talking about?"

"Charlie and I are going to stay here tonight," Mom answers, taking the baby in question from my lap. "While you take Bella, Alice and Jasper to your show."

My head whips back to Bella. "You're coming tonight?" I ask excitedly.

"Well, I mean, we don't have tickets but—"

I cut her off. "You don't need tickets."

"I told you, sweetie," my mom says to Bella, who looks back at her shyly.

She bites her lip. "If you're sure it's not a problem …"

"Bella, it's _my_ show. Of course it's not a problem. I'd love to have you there, especially since you didn't make it to one while we were on the road."

"And Jasper and Alice?" she asks hesitantly.

"Not a problem. You'll all just come backstage. You can hang out on the side of the stage to watch."

"Well, now that that's settled," Mom says, standing up from the couch. "I'm going to take this little one into the kitchen and give her some lunch while you get settled in."

"C'mere," I say to Bella with my hand out once Mom leaves the room.

She flops down onto the couch next to me and I pull her in close, kissing her head and inhaling deeply. I missed everything about her, including how she always smells deliciously like vanilla.

Tilting her chin up, I finally get to kiss her perfect lips. "Mmm, I missed you," I hum against her mouth.

"Missed you, too," she responds quietly, and I feel her cheeks lift in a smile.

I spend some quiet time with Bella while Charlie naps and my mom makes herself scarce. It's so nice to just have her in my arms again. I don't think I'll ever want to let go.

About an hour before we have to leave, the house phone rings, signaling the arrival of Alice and Jasper at the gate. Once they get to the house, Alice greets me with an exuberant hug while Jasper and I exchange handshakes. I don't know him very well, but Bella seems fond of him and I trust her judgment.

The girls quickly disappear into the guest room—basically Bella's room whenever she stays over—to get ready for tonight. I grab two beers, thankful that my mother thought to stock up on a few things for me before I got home, while Jasper and I sit with Charlie in the media room.

"So, Bella says you'll be home for a while now?" Jasper asks.

"Yeah, the tour is done—well, we have tonight's show and tomorrow night—and then we're gonna take a break for a little while." I take a long drink from my beer.

"That'll be nice. I guess you'll get to spend more time with Charlie."

"I hope so," I say with a nod. "I mean, I want to spend time with both of them."

Jasper looks at me with narrowed eyes, seemingly contemplating something. "Listen, man. I've come to love Bella like a sister and I don't want to see her get hurt. I hope you know what you're doing."

I give a little chuckle. "I can appreciate your concern, and I'm glad she has such good friends who care about her. I'll be honest … I don't have the first clue when it comes to relationships, but we've talked about it and agreed that we're going to give it a try." I shrug one shoulder. "I love her," I tell him simply. "I can't imagine my life without her now—without either of them." I look at my baby sitting on the floor.

Jasper appears satisfied with my answer. "Okay then."

We're quiet for a few minutes with the TV on just for background noise. My eyes are mostly focused on Charlie, but I see Jasper nervously picking at the label of his beer bottle in my peripheral.

"I'm gonna ask Alice to move in with me," he says quietly without looking up.

"You are?" I ask, shock clearly on my face.

"Yeah." He shrugs. "We've been together for almost six months. It just feels right."

I give a sharp nod in understanding but slump back against the couch. This is not good. I know Bella. She'll be happy for her friend on the outside, but it will kill her to be abandoned on the inside. And the worst part will be that she won't let anyone in to help.

* * *

**A/N: Up next will be the Seattle concert and a little homecoming alone time for Edward and Bella.**

**Voting is still open for the Twific Fandom Awards, so please stop over and vote for your favorites! Altered Measure is up for Favorite Snuggle Fic and Favorite Drop Everything Fic.**

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**If this Saturday's teaser doesn't post on Twilight Fic Zone, I'll post it directly on my Facebook page. I don't know what happened to last week's teasers, but they never went up. Just a side note, if I can't tell that you are 18 or over from your Facebook profile, I can't accept your friend request.**

**The next chapter will post on Monday. A million thanks to beachcomberlc, but all mistakes are mine.**


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

When Alice and Bella finally come downstairs, I feel like all of my breath is knocked out of me. I always think Bella's beautiful, even when she was exhausted from caring for a newborn and recovering from surgery, but tonight she looks out of this world.

"Wow," I say quietly as I walk toward her in the foyer. My hand reaches out to brush through her shiny curls. "You look … Wow."

She blushes and ducks her head, mumbling her thanks.

With my hands on either side of her face, I lift it so she'll look at me. She's wearing makeup tonight, but it's still light and natural looking on her. Her lips are a rosy pink and I can't resist them. I lean down and touch mine to hers gently and slowly, enjoying the lingering connection between us as I breathe her in.

"How am I supposed to concentrate on the crowd tonight when all I'll be able to see is you?" I ask her rhetorically.

She moves in and deepens the kiss, reaching her tongue out to meet mine and wrapping her arms around my waist. Just as we begin to really get into it, Alice breaks us apart.

"Bella!" she shouts. "You're ruining your lipstick!"

"Don't care," Bella mumbles against my lips.

I chuckle as we continue to kiss for another moment, but then pull back reluctantly. Our foreheads connect as I take a deep breath to calm myself down. "We need to get going anyway," I tell her regretfully. "You're staying here tonight?"

"If that's okay?"

"Of course," I assure her. "I'm looking forward to having you and Charlie here in the morning."

We say goodbye to my mom and Charlie, and I drive everyone over to the Tacoma Dome for the show. When we get there, I introduce Alice and Jasper to Rosalie and Emmett. Bella hugs Rose immediately and they start chatting like old friends.

"They've been talking ever since Bella was on the road with us," Em tells me quietly. "I guess Rosie needed some pregnancy advice, and now they're thick as thieves."

"Yeah, Bella mentioned to me a few times that she'd spoken to Rose. I'm glad they get along."

I look over at our girls and watch as Bella rubs Rose's little belly, another spark of jealousy shooting through me for all I missed out on with Charlie.

Eventually, Bella, Alice and Jasper sit in the audience while we do our sound check. They cheer for us, even though we're not playing full songs. It's actually fun having them here. As a spur of the moment decision, I take a few minutes to play a special song for Bella before we leave the stage.

Once we finish sound check, we have Marcus order us some pizzas and we all hang out in the dressing room with a few beers until show time. Bella curls herself up on the couch next to me, and I feel more content than I ever have before. I run my hand up and down her arm as I sit back and watch our friends interact.

The show goes off without a hitch, though I can admit to being slightly distracted by having Bella just off stage. Every now and then, I sneak a peek at her and see her long legs encased in skin-tight black jeans and her hourglass figure hugged perfectly by a deep purple tank top, but what gets me every time is the smile that shines brightly all night long. It doesn't hurt that she insisted on wearing her black Chucks, much to Alice's dismay.

Not long after the show ends, we make our way back to my house. I invite Alice and Jasper to hang out for a little while, but they decline. Mom leaves shortly after they do, telling us that Charlie was an angel all night and she's been sleeping soundly for a few hours.

And finally, I have Bella all to myself.

"I'm just gonna change out of these sweaty clothes," I tell her.

"Mmm, but what if I like you in the sweaty clothes?" she asks, running her fingers up my chest and fisting my shirt.

I smile down at her before kissing her lightly. "You drive me crazy, woman," I say quietly. "You know that?"

"Sorry," she pouts. "I've just missed you."

I pull her close and hug her tightly, resting my chin on the top of her head. "I missed you, too."

We head in opposite directions to get changed, and although I enjoyed Bella in her hot outfit with her hair all done up tonight, I love her even more when she meets me in the media room in her pajamas. She's wearing shorts and a tank top with no bra and has her hair pulled back into a ponytail. Her face is freshly washed so her natural beauty shines through.

I have the lights dimmed and some soft music playing when she joins me on the couch. It doesn't take long for chaste kisses to turn heated, and I have to continually remind myself to slow down. With one hand buried in her hair, my other hand wanders to her breast. She sighs into my mouth when I give it a gentle squeeze and moans when I run my thumb over her hardened nipple.

Bella's fingers dip down and find the edge of my undershirt, inching underneath it to touch the bare skin of my waist. I suck in a breath and move my kisses to her jaw and neck as I lean her back and hover above her. My mouth finds its way to her earlobe, teasing and nibbling on it, as my hand moves slightly under her top.

I drag my fingers over the soft skin of her stomach for a moment, feeling it quiver and giving her a chance to stop me. She moans when I apply more pressure, so I take that as an invitation and move up to cup her breast. It fits perfectly in my hand, not too big and not too small, and she arches up into me asking for more.

With one last suck on her earlobe, I pull back and reach for the edge of her tank top. I look into her eyes as I ask, "Can I?"

Her dark, hooded eyes answer me before she nods. She gives a little smile as she leans up so I can pull the shirt off of her.

When she lies back down, I take a moment to admire her—dark ponytail fanned out around her head, creamy skin, chest heaving and beautiful, rosy nipples just begging for attention.

"God, you're beautiful," I whisper as a blush spreads across her chest. It's calling to me and I can't resist any longer. I drop my head and begin kissing her collarbone while massaging one breast, rolling the tip between my fingers.

Bella's fingers thread through my hair and tug gently as she holds my head to her body. I move my kisses down, leaving a wet trail from neck to breast. She whimpers when my mouth closes around as much of her breast as I can manage, and arches into me again when my tongue fondles her nipple.

After a few minutes, I switch my attention to the other side, enjoying the scent of her skin as much as the feel of it in my mouth and hands. My free hand drifts down her side and I move our bodies so we're facing each other with me on the outside of the plush couch. She flinches when I rub over her hip bone but moans when my fingers drift to her belly button.

My erection is straining against the material of my underwear and pajama pants, but I put all thoughts of my own pleasure aside and concentrate on Bella. When the tips of my fingers slip under the waistband of her shorts, I look to her again for permission. Her eyes are closed and her cheeks are pink. I slide my hand a little further and she gasps lightly but doesn't stop me.

Her hand moves from my shoulder, down my back and around to my stomach. When she reaches down further and touches me outside of my clothes, I moan but pull my hand from her shorts and stop her.

"Just let me make you feel good tonight," I say softly, kissing her lips again. I want everything with her to be different, and for once in my life I'm putting my own needs aside. She's my priority. I want her to know how special she is to me, and at the moment, this is the only way I can show her.

We continue kissing languidly while I return my hand to its former position. I push down further and notice that something is different almost immediately.

"Fuck, Bella," I say, placing my forehead against hers and closing my eyes. "Are you bare?" Not that I had time to look, but I definitely remember there being hair the last time I touched her.

She nods and giggles lightly, but moans when I devour her with a kiss and slip my fingers into her wet folds. I run them up and down a few times before focusing attention on her clit, circling around and applying more pressure with each pass. Her hips buck into my hand as we continue kissing. I move my attention lower again and push one finger just barely inside of her.

We both groan—me at the abundance of arousal and Bella at the feel of my finger circling her entrance. Slowly, I push further inside, pumping gently while I nibble on her lip. Her hands are back in my hair, moving down my back, over my shoulders, anywhere they can reach as her pelvis continues to move against me.

I add another finger, pushing deeper and finding the spongy patch of skin that makes her jump. I curl my fingers and rub while I let my thumb press on her clit.

Bella's moans turn into pants as she stops kissing me. I continue to place kisses on her cheeks, jaw, neck and behind her ear while allowing her to focus on my fingers. Her body moves in time with my hand, and when I feel the flutters start, I pull my head back and watch her explode.

I've never seen anything more beautiful. She tosses her head back, face and chest flushed, teeth digging into her bottom lip as she holds back a scream, letting only small whimpers escape.

I slow down the movements of my hand before reluctantly pulling my fingers from her body and her shorts. I lean in and kiss her swollen lips again while she comes down from her high.

She lets out a breathy little sigh as her eyes flutter open. "Wow," she says, smiling at me.

I smile back at her, but I know I'm testing the limits of my control. "We should …" I blow out a breath through puffed cheeks. "We should probably get some sleep."

"Are you sure?" she asks as her hand drifts around my waist again.

"I'm sure," I confirm, pulling her close and hugging her, enjoying the last few minutes that I have her body next to mine.

Her fingers run through my hair, scraping my scalp gently. "Hmm, this is nice," she says and I hum into her neck in agreement. "Can we …" she starts, but doesn't finish.

I look down at her as my hands roam her bare back, tracing the line of her spine. "What is it?"

"Nothing," she says, shaking her head. "Forget it."

"Bella, don't you know by now that I'd give you anything you ask for?" I cup her cheek and kiss her chastely.

"It's stupid," she says with her eyes still closed from our kiss.

"Tell me," I insist, teasing her with another light kiss. I think the floodgates have opened because I can't stop kissing her now that I have her here.

She looks at me shyly. "I was just thinking about how nice it is when you're holding me and …"

"And?" I prompt.

"And I thought maybe we could sleep like this," she rushes out as her cheeks pink up.

I feel a smirk growing on my face. "Isabella Swan, are you asking me to sleep with you?"

She smacks my bicep and laughs. "You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do," I admit more seriously. "You have to put your shirt on, though." I look around and find it on the floor beside the couch.

She gasps. "Edward Cullen, are you telling me to put clothes _on_?"

I sit her up and pull the shirt over her head, pulling her ponytail out of the back and running my fingers through the silky strands. "Look, smartass, I promised you we were going to take this relationship slow, and this is me keeping that promise."

She smiles at me as I take her hand and pull her up to stand. I quickly turn off the stereo and the lights while Bella grabs the baby monitor. I pick up her hand again and lead her out of the room, up the stairs and to my bedroom.

"Is this okay?" I ask nervously as we step inside.

"Perfect," she says, setting the monitor on the nightstand.

I pull back the covers and watch her climb into my bed—she's got a nice ass so of course I'm going to look—before I crawl in behind her. Immediately, I pull her body close to mine where she fits perfectly against me.

With her back to my chest, her arm drapes over mine and her fingers run lightly up and down, tickling the hair on my forearm. I take a deep inhale of her vanilla scent, placing a small kiss in the crook of her neck.

"Comfy bed," she comments quietly.

"It's even better now," I respond, tightening my grip on her.

She turns her head as much as she can so she can see me behind her. "Are you gonna try to tell me you haven't done this before?"

Leaning up, I peck her lips with my own. "Never done this before," I admit. "You're the first woman I've had in my bed, Bella … Ever."

And to my surprise, I'm actually content with the idea that we're just going to sleep.

* * *

**A/N: I don't know what's up with Twilight FicZone, but they didn't post the teaser again on Saturday. So from now on, I'll just post the teaser for Monday's chapters on my Facebook page sometime over the weekend. The link is in my profile.**

**There is a good chance that I will not get to all review replies for today's chapter. You all know how much I love chatting with you, but real life obligations will be taking up my time today and tomorrow. My apologies in advance if I don't get to yours.**

**The next teaser will be posted tomorrow on FicTease, and the chapter will post on Wednesday.**

**Voting for the Lyrics to Life contest is open now through November 17****th****! Search for author LyricsToLifeContest. Click on the "Vote Now" link at the top of the page. There are 28 entries!**

**Many thanks to beachcomberlc, but all mistakes are mine.**


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

The next few days fly by in a haze as we wrap up our tour and finish some business that has to be dealt with. I spend as much time with Bella and Charlie as I can, but it's nowhere near enough. I haven't even had a chance to think about our first date yet, even though I'm itching to take Bella out and make it official.

Somehow, it's not surprising when I show up at Bella's house on Sunday afternoon and find her crying quietly on the couch. I let myself in with the key she gave me the other day. She said she wanted me to be able to come over whenever I wanted to see Charlie.

She looks up at me as I enter the room and quickly wipes off her face, trying to hide the tears that I already know are there.

"Hey," I say gently. "What's going on?" I drop my keys and cell phone on the table by the door and sit next to her on the couch, wrapping my arm around her.

"It's nothing," she says. "I'm just overreacting."

"Bella …" I prod. "Talk to me."

She lets out a big sigh and slumps back into the couch. I turn sideways so I can see her better.

"Alice is moving in with Jasper. She just told me this morning. Well, she only came here to tell me, and then she went right back to Jasper's house," she rambles on. "I guess I really shouldn't have been surprised. I mean, I barely ever see her these days anyway. It's not like life will be much different when she moves out. I guess I just feel like another chapter is closing. It's stupid, I know."

"It's not stupid. She's your best friend and you two have lived together for a while. It's understandable that you'd be upset about it," I console. "But this doesn't have to mean your friendship is over. I'm sure you'll still see her. You know she loves Charlie and she'll still come by to spend time with her."

"I know," she sighs. She kicks her bare feet up onto the coffee table. "It's just going to take some getting used to, that's all."

Grabbing her ankles, I pull and turn her body so her feet rest in my lap. "Well, I'm out of a job for the foreseeable future," I tell her, starting to rub her tiny feet. "So I can be here whenever you need me. Or, you and Charlie can always come stay at my house."

"Thanks, Edward. I'm sure I'll be fine eventually." She gives me a small smile, but I watch the tension start to leave her body as I massage the muscles in her feet.

"Charlie sleeping?" I ask.

She nods as her eyes drift closed.

"Good … then I can do this." I put her feet down and lean over, kissing her lips and drinking her in.

She hums in contentment and deepens the kiss, grasping the hair on the back of my head in the way that always drives me wild. I drop my body down onto hers and push my hips against her, letting her feel how she affects me—and maybe trying to get a little friction.

We break for air a few moments later. "I still owe you a date, Ms. Swan," I mumble against her lips.

"Yes, you do, Mr. Cullen."

I sit back and pull her up with me so we're facing on the couch. "Can I take you out on Thursday for your birthday?"

She bites her lip, looking hesitant. "I don't really like to celebrate my birthday."

"Why not?"

She shrugs. "It's just … the last few years, not having my dad around, I usually try to skip over the day," she admits. "He used to make a big deal out of it every year, well, as much as a single, working father could. The first year after he was gone was really hard. I had just met Alice so she didn't even know. After that, I decided it was better to pretend the day didn't exist."

"How about this," I start, hoping I can help in some way. "Because _I_ think the day you were born needs to be celebrated, how about if I take you out and we make more memories for the date. We'll do something fun, but you can also tell me all of the things your dad used to do for you."

She still seems unsure, but I can tell I'm getting somewhere. "I want to know everything about you, Bella." I pull her to me again, not being able to tolerate the distance between us now that I'm allowed to touch her. "I want to hear about your princess parties and homemade birthday cakes and everything else there is to know."

She giggles. "I never had a princess party."

Good, exactly the reaction I was hoping for. "See? I need to know these things." I give her ribs a little tickle. "Charlie's gonna have princess parties though. I already know. If for no other reason, it'll be to torture us."

She laughs out loud. "Yeah, you're probably right."

"So," I prompt. "Thursday? Would you do me the honor of going on a date with me?"

"I'd love to."

When I get home that night, the first thing I do is call my mother and make sure she can babysit. I'm sure Alice would help if I asked, but I know my mom loves to spend time with Charlie anyway. As expected, Mom readily agrees. She even tells me that Dad will come with her since he hasn't seen Charlie in a while.

The next thing I do is rack my brain for what we can do on Thursday. It's a weeknight, so hopefully not as many people will be out, though I'm sure we'll be spotted no matter where we go. I don't want to just sit in a darkened movie theater anyway. I want to show my girl a good time. Plus, it has to be somewhere that we can talk, too.

Realizing it's a weeknight makes me think about all of the kids that are just going back to school this week. And that sparks the perfect idea. I navigate to the website that I need and confirm my suspicion, deciding this is the best place to take Bella.

On Monday, I do some shopping to finish up Bella's birthday present. I only have to go to two stores to find what I need. I spend a little more than she'll probably like on one of the gifts, but that one is going to be from Charlie. There's no way she can refuse it.

The gift from me is a little more homemade. It costs less than twenty dollars. I hope she likes it as much as I love what she gave me for my birthday. The picture frame now hangs in a place of honor in my living room, along with several other pictures of Charlie. My mom actually put up most of them, but there are a few in my bedroom that I chose and framed.

It's the best I can do for now since she doesn't live with me. Maybe someday that'll change. Hopefully.

The rest of the week passes slowly as I look forward to Thursday night. When Bella asks how she should dress for our date, I tell her to dress casually but appropriate for the weather and to wear a baseball cap. "We'll be outside," I say. It's the only hint I give her.

I show up at her house at five o'clock and find my dad's car already parked in the driveway. Instead of letting myself in, I ring the doorbell. This is a date, after all.

Bella opens the door and looks at me in confusion. "Hey. Why didn't you just come in?"

"I'm here to pick up my date," I tell her. "That wouldn't have been appropriate." I pull a bouquet of mixed flowers out from behind my back and watch her smile grow. It's not only her first date, it's mine too, and I want to do it right.

"They're beautiful, Edward. Thank you." She smells the flowers and then darts her eyes up to me over them. "Would you like to come in for a minute while I put these in some water?"

I chuckle but agree, stepping inside to find my dad on the floor with Charlie. "Look who's here," he says to her, lifting her up and turning her to face me.

I get my usual bright smile as I walk over to my baby girl. "Hi, Charlie," I say, taking her from my dad and sitting down next to him. "I'm gonna take Mommy out tonight, okay? But you get to stay here and play with Mimi and Poppop." She turns in my lap and puts her hands on my cheeks. I take that as an invitation for a kiss, so I give her one on her drooly mouth.

"Nice work with the flowers," Dad whispers.

"Thanks. Mom helped."

Bella reenters the living room. "I see you've met my daughter," she jokes.

"And what a lovely little girl you have," I respond, nuzzling my nose with Charlie who then tries to suck on it. "Give Daddy another kiss. I have to go." She actually leans in with an open mouth as I kiss her with a smacking sound, earning giggles from my girl.

I hand her to Bella so she can say goodbye and I can wipe all of the drool off my face. It's a good thing I love that little girl. I quickly sneak down the hall into the kitchen and say hi and bye to my mother, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Ready?" I ask Bella when I come back into the room.

"Ready."

"Have fun, kids," my dad offers.

"We will," I confirm, taking Bella's hand and leading her outside.

I open the car door for her and close it after she enters. "Such a gentleman," she comments when I take my seat.

I shrug it off and silently thank my mom for giving me those few pointers.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going now?"

"Not until we get there. But don't worry, it's not far."

Fifteen minutes later, I pull into a makeshift parking lot on an open field near my old high school. Bella smiles as she takes in the sight in front of us, but then it drops. "Are you sure this is okay? I mean, won't people recognize you?"

"They probably will," I admit with a shrug. "But that's the reason for the baseball caps. It's not like we haven't been seen together before, and I think we're safer here than most other places since it'll be mostly families."

"How do you know?"

"I went to school here," I explain. "They do this 'Back to School' carnival every year to raise money. Not to mention, my mom used to run it."

"Okay," she says with a nod. "Sounds like fun."

She starts to open the door, but I stop her. "Can I give you your birthday presents first?" When she looks like she's about to reprimand me, I give her my best pout. "Please?"

"You better not have spent a lot of money," she finally relents.

I shake my head, smiling, and lean into the back to pick up the two gifts from behind her seat. "Open this one first." I hand her the flat, wrapped package. "This one is from me."

She turns it over and rips the paper off, finding the back of a picture frame. I hear her gasp when she sees the front. "It's perfect," she tells me quietly, studying the picture.

"I'm glad you like it. I made one for myself, too," I tell her.

"I love it," she says, turning to me so I can see the tears in her eyes. "I never even saw this picture of us."

"Sorry about that. I made Rose promise not to send it to you so I could surprise you with it."

The picture was taken the day that Rose and Emmett got married, the same day I told Bella that I love her. We're sitting on the couch in Liam's house, my arm around Bella and Charlie on my lap in her pink dress. I printed it out in a five by seven and put it in a frame that says "Family" across the top. And of course, I bought the same frame for myself.

"Thank you," she says, leaning over the console of the car and kissing me softly.

"You're welcome," I tell her softly. "This one, you'll have to thank Charlie for."

"Interesting," she says, taking the gift bag from my hand. "I didn't realize that Charlie knew how to shop … or had access to a credit card."

"She might have had a little help."

I watch as she pulls the tissue paper from the bag—another silent thanks sent to my mom for her help—and takes out the small box.

"Edward—"

"Just open it, Bella."

She lifts the lid and stares at the ring inside. I have no idea what's going on inside her head, so I start to explain.

"It's her birthstone, an aquamarine. I know you don't usually wear jewelry, but I thought you might like something to represent Charlie, even if you don't wear it every day."

The ring has two trillion shaped aquamarine stones, offset so the sides of the ring don't meet in the middle. Each side of the band has three small channel set diamonds.

"It's beautiful, and although I want to yell at you for spending too much money, I love it too much."

"Whew!" I pretend to wipe sweat off my brow. "I'm glad you like it. Now, let me put it on you so we can go enjoy the carnival."

She smiles at me and pulls the ring from the box. I take it from her and slip it easily over the knuckle on her right ring finger.

She holds it out to admire it. "A perfect fit."

* * *

**A/N: The teaser for the next chapter will post tonight on Fic Central and the chapter will post on Friday. I posted a picture of the ring on my Facebook profile for anyone who is interested.**

**Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews. I read all of them and appreciate them more than I can possibly tell you. Real life is still keeping me on my toes this week, so I may not get to review replies for this chapter either. Nothing is wrong—thank you to those who were concerned—just busy at the moment. The good news is that I don't expect any interruption to our regular Monday/Wednesday/Friday posting schedule. It should continue until the story is complete.**

**Voting is still open for the Lyrics To Life contest. There are 28 entries to choose from! Search for author LyricsToLifeContest on Fanfiction.**

**Thanks to beachcomberlc for keeping me on the straight and narrow, but all mistakes are mine.**


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

I capture Bella's hand to help her out of the car and don't let go of it. She doesn't protest or try to pull away as we walk across the damp grass toward the fairgrounds. It rained earlier today and there may be some showers later on tonight, but for the most part we should be in the clear to enjoy the carnival.

"Rides first and then we'll eat?" I ask when we reach the entrance.

"Sounds good to me," she responds with a smile.

"What kind of rides do you like?" I lead her over to the ticket booth.

"I like them all," she tells me. "I never had much chance to go to carnivals or amusement parks as a kid, so when I did, I'd go on the big ones as many times as I could."

We step up to the counter and I ask the woman for two bracelets. This way we can ride whatever we want all night. "Did your dad take you to amusement parks?" I ask Bella as the woman takes my money.

"No, he could never get enough time off to take a real vacation, but I went a few times with my friend Angela and her family." I fasten one of the bracelets around her wrist as we move away from the booth, and then Bella helps me with mine. "Her mom took us to Silverwood in Idaho twice. And then one year we made the trip down to Six Flags in Vallejo."

"I've never been to Silverwood," I say, clasping her hand again as we head out into the midway. "But I've been to a few different Six Flags parks."

We continue chatting until we come up to the first dizzying ride. "Ah, one of my favorites," I tell her, pulling her into the line. "At least before I've eaten."

"I love the Gravitron!" And I love the excitement on her face.

There's a teenager who gets in line behind us that recognizes me, but he's actually very polite and quiet when he asks me to sign the back of his ticket book. He beams at me when he reads the autograph, which says "Edward Cullen, Class of '03."

The line isn't long, so we only have to wait one turn of the ride before getting on. Bella and I find spaces right next to each other and continue holding hands while we wait for the ride to start.

"It's been so long," she comments. "I didn't think I'd get the chance to do something like this again until Charlie was old enough to enjoy it."

"When Charlie's old enough, we're taking her to all the big parks."

Bella's hand tightens around mine as the ride starts up. The circular ride spins around, gaining speed, and I start to feel the force against my body. I turn my head toward Bella and she looks over at me. She has the biggest smile plastered on her face, and when our bodies begin to lift off the floor, her laughter can be heard over the loud music of the ride.

Remembering my daredevil days as a kid, I roll to my side and move my feet up until I'm facing the floor, thankful there's no one on my other side. Bella laughs some more and lifts her knees, turning toward me so it looks like she's sitting on a chair.

Our hands remain clasped for the duration of the ride and I don't think our laughter stops for several minutes after the ride does. We exit the Gravitron on wobbly legs, but nearly run to get in line for the next ride.

The next hour or so is spent going from ride to ride. There are no big thrill rides like at an amusement park, but we manage to have a good time anyway. I'm stopped a few more times for autographs, and one person even asks for Bella's which shocks her, but she's polite and gracious in signing something for them.

"Time for some food?" I ask, swinging our hands between us. "You can't come to a carnival and not get carnival food."

"Mmm, I could go for some funnel cake or a corndog."

"Corndogs now, funnel cake later," I tell her, pointing to a vendor nearby.

"Sounds good."

I purchase two corndogs, sodas and some fries while Bella finds an empty picnic table.

"Ketchup or mustard?" I ask when I arrive at the table, setting the tray down.

"Ketchup, please."

"I knew you were my kinda girl." I lean over and give her a quick kiss, tilting my head to avoid having the brims of our hats hit, before sitting down on the opposite bench. "So, now you need to tell me about the birthdays your dad used to have for you," I tell her as we separate the food, leaving the fries in the middle.

She dips a fry in ketchup and puts it in her mouth, chewing and contemplating before she responds. "Hmm, let's see. I remember for my seventh birthday, Dad actually tried to bake a cake himself. He was so frazzled about setting up for the party and hosting a bunch of kids that he put the layers of cake together and iced it without peeling the wax paper off the bottom of each layer." She takes a bite of her corndog before continuing. "Of course, he didn't realize it until it was time to cut the cake and the knife wouldn't go through."

I laugh while chewing my corndog, imagining trying to cut a cake with wax paper in the middle of it. "So what happened?"

"Mrs. Webber—Angela's mom—ran out to the diner and bought a cherry pie." She shrugs. "That was better anyway since it's my favorite. It was a shame though, since it was actually a nice looking cake for a guy who rarely used the kitchen."

"It's definitely the thought that counted," I remind her. "Did he throw out the cake?"

"My dad throw something out? No way. He just didn't serve it to the guests. The two of us ate it later on. We just ate it one layer at a time." She smiles fondly at the memory, and I'm glad she can talk to me about this stuff. "What about you? Tell me about one of your favorite birthdays."

We spend a while sharing stories and laughing while we eat, and we continue the conversation as we walk hand in hand down the midway, stopping to play some games. We each win a few small prizes and pick out things we think Charlie would like, but when I win a larger one at the baseball toss, I make Bella pick something for herself. It's a silly notion, but I like the idea of winning a prize for my girl.

She picks a purple monkey, telling me she wants it to match the one I bought for Charlie.

"How'd you do that in one shot, anyway?" she asks as we walk away from the booth.

"It's all in the aim. I pitched for the baseball team in high school, so I usually win that game."

"Did you ever want to play baseball professionally?"

"Nah, it was just something I did for fun. I've tried to join leagues throughout the years, but it was too difficult because my schedule was always so crazy. I haven't played in years."

"Maybe you can do that now."

"Maybe." We're headed in the direction of the Ferris wheel, so I nod over to it. "Ferris wheel and then funnel cake?"

"Definitely."

By the time we're loaded into a cart on the Ferris wheel, the sky has darkened so we have a beautiful view when we reach the top. Our prizes sit on the seat next to us as I put my arm around Bella's shoulder. It's peaceful when we're so far away from the noise of the carnival below us.

"I'm having a really good time tonight," she says quietly while we sit at the top waiting for another car to load.

"So am I." I turn my hat backwards and then lean over, tilting her chin up and kissing her lips lightly. "Happy birthday."

Just when I'm about to pull back, she shifts her position and kisses me more firmly. Her lips part slightly as her tongue peeks out, so mine meets hers in the middle. We continue to kiss lazily while the ride moves, blocking out the rest of the world around us. I barely notice the noise level going from loud to quiet and back again as we spin around the wheel because I'm so lost in Bella.

We break apart when the cart jerks to a stop, looking at each other and laughing at how caught up we were. We're stopped near the top once again. Bella's eyes suddenly turn serious as she continues to hold my gaze.

"What's wrong?" I ask her quietly, my thumb caressing her cheek.

"Nothing," she says, her lips forming a smile. "Everything's right."

This makes me smile, erasing the doubt that had been creeping in. "Yeah?"

She nods slowly but still looks serious. "Will you tell me again?" she says in almost a whisper.

It takes me a moment, but the look in her eyes tells me what she wants to hear.

"I love you, Bella," I whisper.

I watch as her eyes begin to sparkle. "I love you, too, Edward."

I kiss her again with every ounce of passion I have in me, feeling like I'd float out of this cart if she wasn't anchoring me to it. I can't believe how wonderful those three little words are to hear, but realizing that makes me want to say them to her over and over again so she can feel the same way.

So I do.

"I love you," I mumble against her lips. "I love you." I kiss her again. "I love you."

She giggles as she kisses me back, but then moves my head away with her hands on my cheeks. "I love you," she says before crushing her lips back to mine.

A throat clearing startles us apart a few minutes later. "Sorry, ride's over," the apologetic looking carnival worker tells us. I guess this isn't the first time he's had to break lovers apart.

Bella and I both laugh as we gather our belongings and exit the cart, making room for the next people in line. We make our way back to the food area, and Bella takes our stuff to go find a table while I get the funnel cake. Just as I reach our table, the rain starts coming down. Thankfully, Bella picked a spot underneath a pavilion.

The rides come to a halt while we share the messy, sugary treat and watch the mass exodus of people leaving the carnival. We chat while people run to the pavilion, huddling close together as they wait for the rain to let up. Once our food is gone, we turn sideways on the bench, Bella's back to my chest and my arms around her waist. Watching everyone around us, we talk about nothing of importance, except it feels important because I'm doing it with Bella.

When the rain finally slows to a sprinkle, we grab our stuff and head back to the car. Bella doesn't let go of my hand for the entire drive back to her house until we have to get out of the car.

I walk her up to the door with every intention of giving her a goodnight kiss, but she surprises me by inviting me to stay.

"I don't want the night to end yet," she admits shyly.

"Are you sure? This isn't exactly first date protocol," I joke.

"Like anything we've done has followed the rules," she counters.

"Then lead the way, my lady."

After taking our muddy shoes off by the door, we find my parents in the den. Dad has the remote control in one hand while he watches TV, and his other arm is draped over Mom's stomach. She's lying with her head in his lap as she reads a book. The sight brings a smile to my face, and I know for sure that this is what I want to have some day—someone to share the little things with, as well as the big things.

"Thanks again for watching Charlie," Bella says as we walk them to the door.

"Any time, dear," Mom responds. "You know we love to spend time with her."

Once they leave, Bella takes me upstairs to her room. I'm suddenly nervous, not knowing what comes next. I promised myself that I wasn't going to have sex with Bella until she returned my feelings, but now that I know she does, I'm still unsure if she's ready for that—if we're ready for that.

I've never made love to someone before.

I bite down my nerves and decide that it's just like the last time we slept in the same bed. She just wants to sleep next to me.

"Um, is it okay if I …" I trail off and point to my jeans.

She smiles at me. "It's fine, Edward. I'm just gonna get changed. I'll be right back."

Thoughts of Bella changing into her pajamas in the bathroom make my dick start to swell. I know it's only going to get worse when I see her. I take a few deep breaths and try to think of anything else as I remove my jeans, hat and long sleeve shirt, leaving me in only my underwear.

Since there's no way to hide my hard on in boxer briefs, I quickly climb under the covers while I wait for Bella.

I expect to see her in her little shorts and tank top, so my eyes nearly bug out of my head when she emerges from the bathroom in black lingerie. Instead of her normal ponytail, her hair is down and falling over her shoulders.

She fidgets in the doorway for a few seconds, and I realize I'm staring but haven't said anything.

"Wow," is what I come up with. "Bella, you're gorgeous."

She gives me a small smile. I hold my hand out to her and she comes over, climbing onto the bed next to me.

"You know you don't have to do this, right?" I question in reference to the lingerie. "_We _don't have to do anything."

"I know," she says softly, turning to face me. "And I think I love you even more for not expecting anything."

"I won't ever pressure you," I promise, kissing her lips softly. "Not until you're sure you're ready."

She looks into my eyes for a moment as if she's searching for something. "I'm ready."

"Bella, there's no rush," I say while part of my brain tells me to stop questioning her. But the other part needs to do this right.

She shakes her head. "Do you know why I had sex with you that first night?"

"No," I respond, wondering where she's going with this.

"It was because I never took any risks in my life, and I wanted to know what it would feel like to take a risk. I know a lot of people would say it was the biggest mistake of my life, but I don't see it that way. For one thing, it gave me Charlie, and I can't imagine my life without her now."

"Neither can I."

"But it also gave me you." The look in her eyes is so soft and sincere. "Maybe this is another risk, but it's one I'm willing to take. I want to be with you, Edward. Will you make love to me?"

I don't answer her with words, choosing instead to show her with my actions.

* * *

**A/N: Before you throw rotten tomatoes at me for cockblocking you on a Friday, remember that if they hit me in the head, you won't have a teaser this weekend or a chapter on Monday. I promise that the next chapter is full of lemony goodness.**

**I'm glad you all liked the birthday gifts and Edward's idea for their first date. It seems to have worked out in his favor! Thank you all once again for the reviews. I love each and every one of them. The teaser for the next chapter (and probably a pic tease) will be posted on Facebook over the weekend, and the next chapter will post on Monday.**

**Please note: I have had an influx of friend requests from people who are not 18. I'm sorry to say that I can't accept those requests. This story, as well as most of what I write, is rated M so I only accept requests from people who are 18 and older. If I haven't accepted your request yet and you are 18 or older, please make sure that at least the year of your birth is visible to me.**

**Voting is still open for the Lyrics To Life contest. Please check out the entries. Voting is also open for the Dior Rob contest now.**

**Thanks to beachcomberlc, who made this story much better than it would have been, but all mistakes are still mine.**


	32. Chapter 32

**Thank you to those who have served.**

**Chapter 32**

I don't know how long Bella and I are consumed by our heated kiss. By the time reality strikes me, we are a mess of tangled limbs on top of the covers of her bed.

"Fuck," I say through gritted teeth, pressing my forehead against hers. "Bella …" I blow out a breath to calm myself. "We can't. I, uh … I don't have a condom." I pull back to look at her. "I stopped carrying them with me."

It was a conscious decision on my part. Once I told Bella that I love her, I knew the temptation would always be there as long as I had a condom with me. I honestly thought our first time—our _next_ time—together would be more special, something I would plan out down to the last detail. I figured I had a lot of wooing to do, thanks to my mom's advice, to win my girl's heart.

"Edward," she says quietly with her hand on my cheek. "It's okay. I'm on birth control now."

I gaze at her for a long moment. "Are you sure? I mean, I've been tested and I'm clean, but I would totally understand if you wanted to wait."

"I don't want to wait," she responds, shaking her head.

"Fuck," I whisper again, capturing her mouth in another kiss. "I don't know what I did to deserve you." I look at her again, holding her face in both of my hands. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

My kisses move across her jaw and down her neck. I suck and nibble and lick while enjoying all the little sounds of pleasure Bella makes. Moving down to her shoulder, I push the strap of her lingerie down so my mouth can devour the bare skin there.

Bella doesn't wait for me as she sits up and lifts the negligee over her head, exposing herself to my hungry eyes. I gently push her back on the bed and lower my hips between her parted legs. My underwear is barely containing my straining erection, and Bella is left wearing only a tiny pair of panties. Just two flimsy pieces of fabric separate us from joining, but first, I'm determined to make this good for her.

I kiss my way down her body, stopping at each breast to lick, suck and fondle. I don't think I could ever get enough of her body. Every part of it is amazing. She moans and grips my hair as I roll my tongue around a hardened tip before I move to the valley between her breasts.

My hands caress down her sides as I continue moving my mouth toward her belly button. I swirl my tongue around it and then dip it inside. She arches her body up for more. My tongue drags across the faint lines on her lower abdomen before I kiss them, silently thanking her for giving me our daughter.

I place a kiss on each hip while my fingers hook into the sides of her panties. I look up at her and see tension filling her face, but her eyes are soft. They plead with me as much as her words do. "Please, Edward. Please."

I groan as I pull the scrap of material down her legs, taking in the sight of her glistening, bare sex for the first time. Moving down to remove her underwear from her feet, I work my way back up with kisses along her long, smooth legs.

Never before have I cared about a woman's pleasure as much as I care about Bella's. I want her to feel good, and I want it to be my hands, mouth and cock that make her feel that way.

I reach her inner thighs and have to fight against the urge to grind myself into the bed. I'm so turned on by her body, her scent, but most of all by the way she is giving herself to me that I'm finding it difficult to go slow.

My hands push her thighs further apart as I place a gentle kiss on the top of her mound. I feel a tremor move through her body, so I hook my arms under her thighs and place my hands on her stomach, rubbing soothing circles.

When my tongue touches her clit for the first time, I let out a moan as Bella's hips rock up off the bed. I could probably count the number of times I've done this to a woman on one hand, so I have no idea if I'm even any good at it. I do what feels natural and take a long, slow swipe, gathering her arousal on my tongue.

Bella's hands come down and grab onto my biceps, squeezing when the tip of my tongue begins to swirl around her clit. I flatten it and move in longer strokes, bringing my hand down and pushing one finger inside of her. She moans as she rocks her hips against me, and I thrust my finger gently in time with my tongue.

My other hand caresses from her stomach up to her breast as I continue my ministrations below. I alternate between sucking gently on her clit and rubbing it with my tongue while I add a second finger. She's so tight and hot around me that I feel like I could come just from the feel of her.

When her walls start to flutter, I suck harder and curl my fingers, trying to find that magic spot. Once I hit it, I rub it repeatedly until she explodes around me.

"Oh … God!" she screams as her body convulses in pleasure. Her grip on my bicep tightens and I pull back to watch her.

I gently remove my fingers when she starts to come down, licking them clean before I climb up her body, kicking my underwear off as I go.

"God, you're beautiful," I whisper, pushing her long hair out of her face.

"Edward," she pleads, wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling my mouth to hers.

We kiss deeply, tongues stroking each other softly, lips moving in tandem. I rest my weight on her body, my cock brushing up against her center. Shifting my hips, I line myself up with her entrance, barely pushing the tip inside.

I look into her eyes as I inch forward. "I love you," I say because I can't help it.

"I love you," she tells me as she lifts her hips, accepting more of me inside.

I pull back a little before pushing the rest of the way in, stilling when I'm buried as far inside of her as possible. She feels exquisite surrounding me, the heat and wetness threatening to unravel me before I even get started, but it still doesn't feel like it's enough. I'd crawl inside of her skin if I could.

Bella seems to feel the same way as she grasps my shoulders and pulls me down, wrapping her legs around me, connecting our bodies at every point possible and drawing me in deeper. I kiss her neck as I circle my hips, only pulling out slightly to ensure my pelvis hits her with every movement.

She whimpers and moves against me, rocking her hips along with mine.

"More," she whispers, her fingernails digging into my back.

My strokes deepen, my breath picking up on every thrust of my hips. "Oh, God," I cry, afraid I won't be able to hold out. It's too much. Too good. It's skin to skin and it's Bella.

She meets my thrusts from below, and together, our pace quickens. "Baby … I can't …" I push one hand between us and circle her clit, intent on giving her as much pleasure as possible.

She moans and I feel her begin to tighten around me. I increase the pressure and change the angle of my hips, causing Bella to cry out in pleasure. With three more hard thrusts, she comes around me.

"Ah, Edward!" she screams, throwing her head back as she rides out her orgasm.

The clenching of her muscles pushes me over the edge, and I come with blinding pleasure, thrusting erratically as I release inside of her.

Our bodies stay fully connected as I drop my weight on her, and her arms hold me tight as if she never wants to let me go. We're both breathing heavily as we return to our senses, and I roll us to the side so I don't crush her.

We lay quietly for a long while, hands roaming gently across bare, sweaty skin, and it's the most content I've been in a long time. I feel like something I didn't even know was missing has just clicked into place.

Just when I think Bella's about to fall asleep, she breaks the silence.

"When can we do that again?"

I can't contain my laughter at her question. She smiles back at me and chuckles, but shrugs like it's no big deal.

I roll us over so she's on top of me. "Baby, we can do that whenever you want. I'm yours for the taking," I tell her before pulling her down into a kiss.

Unfortunately, Charlie wakes up before we have a chance to go for round two, but we take care of her together and climb back into bed together. Holding her naked body against mine while we fall asleep is a wonderful feeling.

Waking up with her naked body pressed up against mine is even better.

When she climbs on top of me, I think I must still be dreaming. When she kisses me and grinds herself down on my morning wood, I'm pretty sure I'm in heaven.

"I don't know how to do this," she confesses shyly.

I cup her face and look into her eyes. "You do whatever feels good for you."

She lifts up and I position myself at her entrance. When she slides down my length, I'm sure it doesn't get any better than this.

"You're so Goddamn sexy," I tell her as she pivots her hips and sits up.

It turns out, she's a quick learner.

Over the next few weeks, Bella and I get into a new routine. I don't stay over at her house every night, but I do stay a few nights a week. I spend most of my days with Charlie, even bringing her to my house for the day sometimes so Bella can have uninterrupted quiet time to work. She has also stayed at my house a few times—with Charlie—and cooked dinner for us.

When Charlie is about seven and a half months old, I decide that it's time for her first piano lesson. Well, I'm not really teaching her so much as just talking to her while I play. My adorable daughter sits on the floor, her blonde curls a riot of a mess and chubby cheeks smiling up at me, as I sit at the piano and play song after song for her. She has some toys around her but hasn't touched them. Instead, she stares at me in awe.

I turn away from Charlie to look at the piano for a moment, and when I look back, she's on her hands and knees heading toward me. My shock makes me stop playing, which makes Charlie stop moving.

"Hey, sweetie, can you do that again for Daddy?" I ask as I grab my phone out of my back pocket. With one hand on the piano and one on the phone, I start videotaping her as I play a few simple notes.

She starts crawling toward me again.

"Good girl, Charlie," I praise.

When she reaches the leg of the piano bench, she plops back down on her butt and looks up at me with a big smile.

"Oh, you're proud of yourself, aren't you?" I say as I put the phone down and scoop her up. "Daddy's proud of you, too!" I give her kisses all over her face and blow some raspberries on her belly, earning her laughter and squeals.

"We have to send this to Mommy." I sit her on my lap as I forward the video to Bella.

Charlie goes down for a nap a little while later, and I take that time to scan the internet. It's something I started doing when we returned from the tour and Bella and I started being seen in public together more often. I told her not to look for the pictures or articles, but I like to check on them and make sure that no issues are brewing. I've been featured in them enough with both truth and lies to have a thick skin about anything that's written.

There have been a few times where we've been photographed—with and without Charlie, sometimes even just Charlie and me—that have made the news. So far, nothing too crazy has been said. There are still a few paps that hang out around Bella's house every now and then, but for the most part they haven't been a problem. They take a few pictures as we come and go, shout a few questions, but don't get in our way.

Satisfied for the day that there's nothing new on the internet to worry about, I close down my laptop and make myself some lunch. Bella said she would come over early this afternoon after I sent her the video of Charlie.

Around four o'clock, Bella and I are watching TV in the media room while Charlie sits happily in her exersaucer for a few minutes. My cell phone rings, startling me out of the peacefulness.

"Ugh, it's Aro," I complain when I look at the caller ID. He's been nothing but trouble lately, and if Breaking Dawn ever does produce another album, I don't think he'll be managing us.

When I answer the phone, Aro gets right down to business.

"Edward, we've received advanced notice of a story that's going to run in tomorrow's tabs and I thought you should know about it."

"All right, what's it about?"

"Another woman," he says. "A Tanya … Denali is claiming to be pregnant with your child."

"What?" I yell, startling both Bella and Charlie.

"It says she's six months pregnant, and it's your baby from a tryst you had with her at Club Eclipse."

I wrack my brain for a moment to think about this. Yes, I was with a woman named Tanya at Club Eclipse. God, that feels like a lifetime ago.

"Wait … How pregnant did you say she was?" Bella's eyes go wide, and I realize this could really be a problem for us. _Fuck._ Just when things were settling down.

"The statement says she's six months pregnant. So, that would mean you were with her in April. Does that ring any bells?"

"Yeah, Aro. I know exactly who she is and when I was with her. It wasn't April. Her kid isn't mine." I let out a sigh of relief and look at Bella, pleading with my eyes for her to be understanding about this. "Send the statement over to Jenks for me and I'll deal with him on it."

I hang up and toss my phone on the coffee table, my hands going right to my hair as I rest my elbows on my knees.

"It's not true," I mutter, looking down at the floor. "It's just someone trying to stir up trouble for me, or maybe publicity for herself."

Bella's hand rubbing circles on my back makes me feel like I can breathe again. "We'll get through it, Edward."

Just to know that she'll stand by me through this makes me feel so much better, but I doubt she has any idea of the shit storm that's about to hit.

* * *

**A/N: I was amazed at the number of you who thought Tanya was going to take that condom out of the trash and do something nasty with it. But many of you knew she was coming back to cause more problems. It is NOT Edward's baby, but they'll have to deal with the fallout anyway. Remember, he's had two other false baby claims so he knows how bad it can get.**

**It kills me to say this, but our little story is coming to an end. There are only 2 more regular chapters, an epilogue and one outtake. The teaser for the next chapter will post tomorrow on FicTease and the chapter will post on Wednesday.**

**Don't forget to vote for your favorite stories in the Lyrics to Life contest!**

**Beachcomberlc is my awesome beta, but all mistakes are mine.**


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

Jenks, Zafrina and I have a conference call the following day to prepare a rebuttal statement for the bullshit that is being printed. I ask Bella to sit in on it with me because I not only want her support, I also want her opinion.

Together, we work out a simple statement acknowledging that there was a one-time relationship between myself and Tanya Denali, but it went no further than that and based on the timing, there is no possibility that her child is mine.

I may have been a little vindictive in wanting to state that she's a fame-seeking whore, but when you've been through this as many times as I have, it's hard not to be bitter. Bella is there to rein me in, reminding me that a mudslinging contest will only draw more attention to us.

In the end, Jenks assures me that Ms. Denali would have to provide some sort of evidence—of which there is none—that we were together in the appropriate timeframe in order to force me to submit to a DNA test.

Zafrina works her magic and is able to have the statement released the same day, so it immediately counters the false claim against me.

Against my better judgment, that evening I take Charlie back to my house and leave Bella at hers. She figures it will help draw the growing crowd of paps away from her house.

I have no choice but to carry Charlie out to the car since my baby girl outgrew her infant carrier, but I pull the hood of her little sweatshirt over her head and hug her to my body. I toss the diaper bag in the trunk and then rush to the side and put Charlie in her seat to buckle her in, all while listening to questions being shouted at me.

"_How many times did you sleep with Tanya?"_

"_Were you still sleeping with her while you were involved with Bella?"_

"_Do you think Charlie would like a baby brother or a baby sister?"_

"_Did Bella kick you out?"_

I ignore every one of them and get in my car, driving away slowly to avoid hitting anyone. I watch through the rearview mirror as some of them run to their cars to chase after me. At least that part is successful.

It's the first night I have Charlie in my house by myself, and with the amount of times Bella's texting me, I know she's somewhat nervous about being away from her baby. But there are no problems. Charlie and I do just fine on our own.

The next day, I'm in the middle of feeding her some kind of mushy, green vegetable from a jar when my phone rings.

"Hey, baby," I answer, knowing it's Bella. "You miss us that much?"

"Edward, they were everywhere again." She sounds frantic, and I immediately go into alert mode.

"Where are you?"

"In my car. I'm driving around, but I think there are still a few behind me."

"Just come right over here. Don't go home. Can you tell me what happened?"

I hear her take a deep breath and let it out. The noise of the car is in the background, so she must have me on speakerphone. "I thought while I was by myself I could run a few quick errands. I just wanted to look for a Halloween costume for Charlie and pick up another box of diapers. They followed me as soon as I pulled the car out of the garage."

"Did anyone touch you?" I'll kill them if they hurt her.

"No. They got close when I got out of my car at the mall, but they were shouting so much stuff at me it was making my head spin. I didn't even make it inside. I turned around and ran back to my car."

Charlie protests at my lack of attention, so I give her another spoonful of food. "Please tell me you ignored everything they said."

"I know none of it's true, Edward. But they were saying some pretty nasty stuff. Wondering if we'd ever had a threesome, asking if I minded sharing you, saying I was no better than any of your other sluts."

"I'm so sorry, baby," I tell her quietly. "I know this is all my fault. If I hadn't been so confused that night—"

"Edward, stop. We weren't dating then. Hell, we weren't even friends yet. You didn't do anything wrong. Well, I'm still not thrilled that it was in such a public place, but we don't need to rehash that. What's done is done and we just have to deal with it."

I let out a deep sigh, thankful that she's so understanding of my former life. "How far away are you?"

"I'm almost at the gate. I'll be there in two minutes."

"I love you."

"Love you, too."

The door opens a few minutes later, so I call out to tell Bella we're in the kitchen.

"Mommy's home," I say to Charlie, and then realize my words. Thankfully, Charlie doesn't contradict me.

I wipe her face as Bella enters the room. I can see that she's been crying, but I don't comment on it. After handing Charlie a handful of Cheerios to munch on, I pull Bella up against me and hug her tightly.

"I'm so sorry," I whisper, kissing the top of her head and breathing in her vanilla scent.

She sighs as she leans into me. "I shouldn't have gone out. I just figured if I didn't have Charlie with me, it wouldn't be a big deal."

Bella moves to kiss Charlie while I grab a sippy cup filled with water. Another new thing we're working on.

"Do you want me to come home with you tonight?" I ask when we're both seated at the table. "I really don't like the idea of you and Charlie being in the house alone."

"They can't come into the house. I'm sure we'll be fine."

"No, but they can still make your life a living hell. Trust me. Some of them aren't afraid to ring the doorbell and bother you, and if they really want to be nasty, they'll just shout their questions to your house all night."

She slumps back in her chair.

"Bella," I say, choosing my words carefully. "I'd really feel better about this if you both would stay here for a little while. To be honest, I'd love it if you just stayed here, period."

Her eyes dart up to look at me, most likely judging if I'm serious about that statement. I am. One hundred percent serious.

I move around the table to sit next to her, picking her hand up and holding it in both of mine. "Before you say anything, I want you to know that I've thought about this—a lot. Things are fine the way they are right now because I'm taking a break from music and have all the time in the world to be wherever you and Charlie are. And that's all I want … to be with both of you.

"I don't mind going back and forth between our houses and I'll do it as long as it's necessary, but at some point I'm sure I'll have to find something to occupy my time. What I really don't want is to go out and work some job and come home at night and not have both of you with me.

"I want you here, Bella. Both of you. I love you and I love Charlie, and nothing would make me happier than having you both here all the time. This house and the community are secure, so we won't have to be afraid to take Charlie outside to play or to take her for a walk around the block. We can raise her here together."

I have more to say, but Bella stops me. "You don't think it's too soon for all of this?" She bites on her bottom lip, and I know she's nervous. Charlie bangs her cup, so I quickly give her a few more Cheerios.

"Who gets to decide what's too soon? How long did Jasper and Alice know each other before they moved in together?"

She looks at me with a raised eyebrow and I know she sees where I'm going with this. "Six and a half months," she reluctantly replies.

I nod. "I know they were dating for most of that time, but in the time we've known each other and _not_ been dating, I feel like we were able to grow closer than we would have otherwise. So what if we've only been 'officially' dating for a few months?"

Her shoulders drop and she closes her eyes.

"Look, I won't pressure you on this beyond staying here until the paps find something else to focus on. But I wanted you to know where I stand. The offer is open so you can take your time to think about it."

She opens her eyes and looks at me seriously. "What would I do with my house?" she asks quietly.

"Sell it, give it to Alice and Jasper, make it a rental property … it doesn't matter." I can see the contemplation going on inside her head, so I decide to leave her to her thoughts. "Just think about it." I kiss her lips and get up, rescuing the Cheerio monster from her high chair.

"Look at this mess," I playfully scold. "Who made a mess with her Cheerios? Daddy has to sweep the floor now." I kiss her cheek and put her down on the floor in front of the only cabinet she's allowed in. It's filled with plastic containers, and she loves to pull them out and bang them together.

Leaving Bella to her thoughts, I grab the lightweight vacuum that I started keeping in the pantry once Charlie began eating real food. It doesn't make too much noise so Charlie's not scared of it, but it gets the job done quickly.

When I turn it off, I find Bella looking up at me. "I, ah … I need to get some clothes and my laptop," she says, starting to stand up as if she's going to her house now.

"Do you think Alice could do it for you? I really don't want you going back to your house right now."

"I'll call her," she mumbles, leaving the room quickly.

I look down at the mini-me at my feet who is happily banging containers together. "How about some music, kid?" She doesn't answer, so I pick her up with a container in each hand and take her into the music room. "You play the containers while I play the piano, deal?"

Bella eventually joins us and sits on the floor with Charlie in her lap. "I've never heard you play before," she says when I stop momentarily between songs. "You could have been a professional pianist."

"Thanks," I say, slightly embarrassed by the compliment. "I prefer composing to playing, but I actually played piano long before any other instrument."

"Really? How'd you get so good at guitar then?"

I shrug and turn on the bench to face my girls. "Mom always said I was some kind of musical prodigy. I was proficient at any instrument I picked up. I taught myself the basics on almost everything except piano. I had lessons on that when I was younger."

"Have you composed anything recently?"

I smile and nod. "It still needs a little work, but then I'm going to record it and add it to Charlie's CD. I wrote it for her."

"Will you play it for me?"

I turn back to the piano and crack my knuckles before placing my hands back on the familiar keys. "Charlotte's Lullaby" flows from my fingers with no effort at all. It's soft and calming, reminding me of waves crashing of the beach or the wind blowing through blades of grass in a meadow.

I still with my fingers on the keys as the last notes drift through the air.

"I think it worked," Bella whispers, and I turn around to find Charlie asleep in her arms.

I smile and chuckle. "It was naptime anyway. Do you want me to take her?"

"Sure."

There's something about a sleeping baby that squeezes your heart just a little. As I carry Charlie upstairs and into her room, I breathe in her delicious baby scent. I know I should put her right in her crib, but I'm compelled to spend a few quiet minutes with her in my arms. Sitting in the rocking chair, I move us gently back and forth while humming another tune that's been going through my head, this one inspired by Bella.

About ten minutes later, I finally put her in the crib and emerge from her room. I start walking downstairs, but stop when I hear hushed voices.

"… not crazy, Bella." That sounds like Alice. She must have arrived to drop off Bella's stuff. "What happened to taking risks?"

"Don't you think it's too soon? What if it doesn't work out?"

"So keep the house just in case." Wow, it sounds like Alice is actually on my side. We've definitely been getting along lately, but I didn't expect her support on this. "Let me ask you this … Do you see a future with him?"

I'd like to know the answer to that question as well.

* * *

**A/N: I am beyond overwhelmed at the love for our Manwhoreward-turned-Daddyward. I can't thank you guys enough. Sadly, the next chapter is the last chapter and then we will wrap things up with an epilogue and an outtake.**

**The normal Wednesday night teaser will NOT post on Fic Central tonight. It will only be posted on Facebook tomorrow. The content of this particular teaser does not fit Fic Central's guidelines (which really means it's rated M).**

**Voting for the Lyrics to Life contest is open until November 17****th****, so make sure you check out the entries and vote for your favorites.**

**Many thanks to beachcomberlc for making this story so much better. All mistakes are mine.**


	34. Chapter 34

**Sorry for the delay. I was having problems with FFN download manager.**

**Chapter 34**

As much as I want to hear what Bella has to say, I can't bring myself to eavesdrop on their conversation anymore. Whatever Bella's feelings are, I can wait until she comes to me with them.

I cough as I start walking down the rest of the stairs to announce my presence.

"Oh, hey, Alice," I say as I reach the bottom and the women come into view. "I didn't hear you come in."

"Is Charlie okay?" Bella asks.

"Yeah, I just hung out with her for a little while before I put her in the crib." Turning to Alice, I add, "Are you staying for a little while?"

"No, I can't," she responds, looking back and forth between Bella and me. "I was just dropping off Bella's stuff, but Jasper and I are having dinner with his parents tonight so I have to get home."

"Maybe another time," I offer. "We should all get together for dinner or something soon."

Alice agrees, and I leave the women to finish their chat. I head back into the music room, placing the baby monitor on the window sill. I need to get this tune in my head down on paper, or at least play it a few times until I get the feel for it.

After several minutes of losing myself in the music, I can feel eyes on the back of my head. I know Bella's in the room, her very presence exciting every nerve in my body.

"You don't have to lurk back there," I say casually, my fingers never ceasing their movements.

I hear her take a few steps into the room until she's standing next to me. "I was just enjoying what you were playing. I didn't want to interrupt."

"You're never interrupting. Besides, you inspired this one so I might be able to perfect it if my muse is next to me."

I look up at her and find her mouth open and eyes wide. "You wrote this for me?"

"I'm writing it as we speak."

She shakes her head in disbelief. "Seriously, Edward, that's some crazy talent you have."

My fingers leave the keys for the first time as I reach over and pull her in front of me by her waist. She stands facing me between my knees, and I wrap my arms around her, leaning my head against her sternum.

"I can't help it," I mumble against her. "You bring out the best in me."

Her fingers come up and scratch lightly through my hair as she relaxes into my hug. Her ass hits the piano and disjointed notes sound out through the room.

My hands make their way up the back of her shirt, finding the bare skin of her lower back and tracing the indents above the waist of her leggings. Without much thought, I lift her shirt enough to slip my head underneath and begin placing kisses on her belly. I circle her belly button with my tongue, dipping it in how I know she likes.

"Mmm," she hums, her hands resting on my shoulders. She rubs her thighs together and I know she's as turned on by my touch as I am by touching her.

An overwhelming need to remind her how much I love her and want her washes over me. I hook my thumbs into the sides of her pants and underwear, lowering them slowly and helping her step out of them once she kicks off her shoes.

When I sit back up, her hands reach for the center of my jeans, but I stop her by swiftly lifting her and sitting her on the edge of the top of the piano. Her gasp of shock excites me even more.

"Edward, what—"

"Shh," I tell her. "Lean back."

She doesn't question me any further and leans back on her elbows, exposing herself to me further. I pull the piano bench in as far as I can and lean forward, grasping her legs under her thighs and pulling them over my shoulders. I kiss my way up and down her inner thighs until her hips begin moving, seeking my touch elsewhere.

She moans when I finally take a slow lick of her wet center. I suck her clit into my mouth and flick it with my tongue, causing her to let out a high pitched whimper. Since the first time I did this for her, I've paid attention to every noise, every move that she makes, learning her body inside and out so I can bring her the most pleasure.

Knowing that she wants my fingers too, I gently press two inside of her heat while I continue sucking on her clit. After a few pumps, I curl them to hit the spot that drives her wild.

"Oh God, faster," she pleads, and I comply.

I flatten my tongue and begin making more forceful swipes, increasing the pace of my fingers at the same time. Before long, she falls apart around me, crying out my name as her body convulses in pleasure.

When she comes down from her high, my head is resting on her thigh as I stroke the other with my hand. I feel her try to move off of the piano, but I hold her still. "Just stay," I say quietly.

She shakes her head. "I want to take care of you."

"I didn't do that so you'd do something in return," I remind her, having had this conversation before.

"I know," she says, slipping down off the piano against my wishes. "Doesn't mean I don't _want_ to do something for you."

"Fuck," I mumble as she pushes me to sit up and dives right in to open my jeans. She pulls on them until I lift my hips and my erection springs free.

Grabbing my face, she kisses me deeply, not at all bothered by the taste of her arousal still on my lips, before dropping down to her knees and taking hold of my cock.

She slowly licks around the head, and I groan at the feel of her tongue when it dips into the slit. "Do you have any idea—" she takes just the head into her mouth and then releases it "—just how much I love—" she makes another pass, taking me slightly deeper this time "—being able to make you feel so good?" With that, she fully surrounds me, taking me in as far as she can.

I moan and gently place my hands on her head. "Yeah," I say as my eyes roll back into my head. "I have a pretty good idea."

Her tongue caresses me on every stroke. It seems my girl is a fast learner at many things. She's only done this a few times, but she has found ways to get me off faster than I ever thought possible. Then again, maybe it's just because it's Bella and everything about her turns me on.

She begins bobbing up and down faster and scraping me with her teeth gently on each upstroke. Before long, my hips are bucking slightly in time with her mouth and her hand, which is stroking the part she can't fit in her mouth.

"Shit, babe … I'm gonna come," I warn her. She always swallows, but I feel the need to warn her anyway.

She shocks the hell out of me when she removes her hand on the next stroke and takes me all the way in her mouth.

"Fuck!" I yell as she gags on me, and I start releasing directly down her throat. She keeps me in her mouth and continuously swallows around me as I come in several long spurts.

When I come down from my post-best-blowjob-ever stupor, I look down at her and find a smug grin on her face while her hands rub the bare skin of my hips.

"Did you just gag yourself on me?" I ask, stupefied.

She shrugs and smiles some more. "I thought you'd like it."

"Fuck, yeah. I loved it. But I don't need you to hurt yourself." I reach out and help her up, sitting her on my lap so she straddles me.

"Alice said I'd get used to it after a while."

God, I love Alice and the sex advice she gives Bella, but I shake my head at her. "Well, it's not necessary if you're not comfortable with it."

"Noted," she says.

"Good. Now, kiss me, my love."

She does. We kiss softly for a while, just reveling in each other until Bella pulls back and rests her forehead on my shoulder.

"You really meant what you said earlier?" she mumbles without looking at me.

"Look at me," I request, putting my fingers under her chin and tipping it up. "I meant every word. You and Charlie are my life now. I want you here, always."

She blushes lightly, which I'll never understand after what she just did to me with no hesitation, but smiles softly.

"Okay."

"Okay?" I repeat with raised eyebrows, prompting her to clarify. I'd hate to be misinterpreting what she's saying right now.

"Yes," she says confidently. "We'll move in with you."

"Yeah?" I ask, dumbfounded, but with a smile that could split my face in two.

"Yeah." She nods for emphasis.

I kiss her with everything I have, wanting to show her just how much this means to me. Our tongues slide over each other, lips moving together before I suck her bottom lip into my mouth. I never tire of kissing her, even though it was something I rarely did before meeting Bella. The connection between us seems amplified when our mouths meet, and before I know it, my cock is perking back to life.

Grabbing the edge of her shirt in both hands, I lift it over her head and then reach around her back to unclasp her bra. Before my hands can make contact with her fabulous breasts, she pulls my shirt off and hugs me against her. Skin to skin, the tips of her breasts rub against my chest and the need to be inside of her nearly consumes me.

I lift us both off the piano bench with my pants and underwear still around the tops of my thighs. Her legs wrap around me as I carry her over to the couch. I lay her down as I kick off the rest of my clothes and then settle on top of her.

I kiss her again, pushing my erection through her arousal, but my impatient girl isn't having any of it. She reaches between us and positions me at her entrance, her hips shifting just enough for me to slip inside. I press forward and bury myself in her, stilling when our connection is as deep as possible.

Bella cups my cheek and drags her fingers through my scruff. "I love you," she mumbles against my lips. "I need you."

"Baby," I sigh as I begin to move with her. "I love you, too."

Our pace is slow and gentle at first, sharing our love and connection through the movements of our bodies. I kiss my way across her jaw and to her neck, circling my tongue behind her ear. When I hit her favorite spot, her legs wrap around my waist, drawing me even deeper inside of her.

Her heels on my ass spur me on as we speed up our bodies, moving in synchronization until we're both nearing the edge.

"Can you come for me?" I ask, moving my hand between us. "I need to feel you."

"So close," she whispers as I rub her clit furiously.

Our movements become hard and frantic until I feel Bella tighten around me.

"Coming," she gasps. "Ah …"

I let myself go as soon as I feel it, and we come together with blinding force. My hips move on their own, drawing out every last bit of pleasure for both of us until exhaustion takes over and I collapse on top of her.

Our chests heave together as we work to draw in much needed air. I roll to the side, pulling Bella with me as I bury my face in her neck.

After taking several minutes to calm down, I lean back into the cushions of the couch and look at Bella. She's beautiful with her dark hair spread out over the cream colored couch and her lips turned up in a satisfied smile.

"Can I ask you something?" I say, running my hand over the curve of her hip.

"Of course," she offers, opening her eyes so I can see into her soul.

"What made you decide so quickly?"

Her smile widens and her eyes soften. "Alice asked me if I saw a future with you."

"And?"

"And when I think about the future, every vision has you by my side. I want to share it all with you."

I lift her hand and link our fingers together, bringing them to my lips and kissing her knuckles. "Nothing I have means anything if I can't share it with you."

I don't know how one shy, innocent woman walked into my life and irrevocably altered everything I thought I knew, but I know I wouldn't change a single thing from the path we're now travelling along together.

As if on cue, a light babbling begins to sound from the baby monitor, reminding us of the last piece of the puzzle that makes us complete. I pull on my jeans while Bella puts on my shirt, and hand in hand, we walk upstairs to embrace the little piece of perfection we created together.

* * *

**A/N: I could keep writing about this little family forever and it wouldn't be enough. I'm so glad you all love them as much as I do. Unfortunately, everything must come to an end. This story was meant to be about Edward's journey from manwhore to family man, and I think we've gotten him there. I know many of you wanted to know more about what happened with Tanya and/or Aro, but I will just tell you that it doesn't add anything to the main story so it wasn't included. These issues are what pushed our couple apart and then brought them back together. It would be safe to assume that Tanya's fifteen minutes of fame were filled with ridicule and Aro did not manage Breaking Dawn after the last concert. Beyond that, feel free to use your imagination.**

**There will be an epilogue to wrap things up which will post on Monday. I'll post a teaser on Facebook over the weekend. Right now I have one outtake planned, but I am not ruling out other outtakes or futuretakes. Yes, I have a few in mind but I don't know when I'll get to them. Several of you have asked for a sequel, but that is not in the cards right now.**

**I do have several other stories in the works, so keep me on author alert if you're interested.**

**Please consider making a donation to the Fandom Against Domestic Violence. I will be offering my beta services to any author who needs it, and your donation will get you a compilation containing many Twilight stories. You can see who has already signed up to contribute a story at loveshouldnothurtfandomagainstdomestic dot wordpress dot com/**

**Infinite thanks to beachcomberlc, but all mistakes are mine.**


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